Ghost Hunt: Encrypted Files
by faded-lunar-sky
Summary: I didn't know what brought me down that road that night. Ok maybe I did. What I didn't expect was to find a stranger who ended up forcing me back into the supernatural world I tried so hard to abandon, but maybe it was a good thing I found him and not my brother. After all, who says you can't use a curse to bring two clueless teens together? Mostly follows original plot. OC
1. File 1: Evil Spirits All Over? Part 1

**AN: Here's another story that I decided to work on. I haven't given up on my other story, but I felt like trying something a bit different. Character profiles are on my profile if you want to have a better understanding of the characters. Not sure how this story will be received, but I hope you enjoy.**

**{~}**

**Notes:**

_[Visions]_

'Thoughts'

"Normal conversation"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of the characters except my Oc's. All rights of the picture used in the cover belong to the artist. **

* * *

**(First person perspective) **

Everything began with an accident. I wasn't supposed to interfere, something about it disrupting the flow of time or some other nonsense. But even if I try to interfere, things always had a way of working themselves out or my attempts would ultimately fail and the tragedy would just happen anyway. That is my curse. I am only an observer, someone who can only watch as someone walks through death's door, someone who becomes a scapegoat when tragedy befalls – a living target. But even so, something compelled me to go to that place that night, to try and challenge fate once again.

-Flashback-

"Where are you?" I whisper as I gaze at the lake in the inky darkness, furrowing my eyebrows in thought. I bend one of my knees, allowing me to perch one of my arms across it as my other leg dangles freely. Honestly, sitting on a railing near a cliff at the edge of a road was not the brightest idea I had ever had, but the road was deserted and I doubted anyone would be driving by at 3 in the morning. I brush away my messy ebony locks from my face, allowing them to slightly rustle from the movement before resuming their position against my shoulders.

"Ayumu…" I trail off as I pull out my phone from my tan cargo pants before closing my eyes. Clutching the phone tightly in my hand until my knuckles turn white, I strain my ears to hear something, anything, but was only met with the chirping of crickets before that too was swallowed by the silence of the night. Opening my purple eyes, I allow a small smile to appear on my face. "You're still alive. You're still alive…" I repeat before relaxing my back and shoulders. "I can't hear your voice yet…" A pained smile enters my face before an annoying ring reaches my ears. Glancing down at the caller ID, I see the name Kaz appear on the screen. Sighing, I reluctantly answer the call after several more rings, bracing myself for-

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU NARI?!" *static*

I immediately wretch the phone away from my ear, rubbing it in an attempt to relieve the searing pain caused by that sudden outburst. Cringing, I hesitantly place the phone back on my ear, only to immediately regret it.

"NARI!"

I cringe once again at the volume of his voice before releasing a sigh.

"Hey Kaz. How have you been?" I answer evenly, getting the feeling Kaz was fuming at my words wherever he was at the moment.

"That's all you have to say?" I quirk an eyebrow at the eerily calm voice over the phone. "Nari… you disappeared for almost a month. No note. Nothing. I thought … His voice trails off, causing me to slightly stiffen.

"I'm fine Kaz… I can take care of myself and you know that." I reply as I pat the left side of my black vest where my … gun was strapped to my torso, allowing a wry smile to enter my face. "Ayumu and I were orphans… your family saved us. I won't let it be for naught. I just-" I try to continue, but get cut off.

"No. I know you want to find Ayumu. I do too, but he's gone. You have to accept it. He left and he's not coming back." Kaz replies, slowly allowing the bitterness to leak into his voice.

"He didn't abandon us. Ayumu isn't the type of person to leave unless there was a reason… you know that Kaz." I add, feeling as if I was talking to an impatient child. Ironic since I was the youngest out of the three of us – Kaz, Ayumu, and I.

"…Drop it Nari. This is not up for discussion, " Kaz finally responds, allowing his normal detached tone to overtake his voice – the voice he created for himself to prevent himself from being seen as weak. "Now tell me what you were thinking when you chose to disappear." Again, that no nonsense voice takes over.

"I had to make sure of something." I answer vaguely as I touch the bandaged area on my left arm, "if I don't find him… he's going to die."

That immediately catches his attention. "Who?"

"I don't know."

"Where?"

"Don't know."

"When?"

"Same answer."

"(Pause)…When did you become an idiot?"

I feel my eye slightly twitching in annoyance. "I could ask you the same thing Kaz." I mutter angrily as I swept my eyes along the deserted road. Nothing.

"Do you at least know how?" He tries again, causing a grim smile to enter my face.

"Yes."

"Explain."

I close my eyes before replying, "I couldn't make out any features. He was wearing dark clothes, blending him into the night so the incoming driver never saw him until after she ran him over. He was still breathing and alive afterwards, but…" I trail off as I bite my bottom lip.

"Nari?" Kaz asks, concern slightly leaking into his voice.

"She just goes back in the car and kept running him over and over to make sure he was dead but even then he was still hanging on, though barely. She wraps him up in some blanket and stuffs him in the back of her car before tossing him into a lake. I could feel his pain Kaz. I could feel myself getting crushed over and over by the car. I could feel my bones snapping, my organs rupturing, my blood pooling all around me… before I felt myself drowning, suffocating… It was like she murdered me herself Kaz…" I finish, recalling the unbearable pain that seared through my body.

"…Your sight shouldn't put you in that situation… only if it doesn't involve Ayumu…" Kaz trails off, catching on to why I was there in the first place. "Nari. Get out of there right now."

My eyes widen at the urgency in his voice.

"Kaz, what's-?"

Before I could finish, he cuts me off.

"I don't care how you do it. Get away from where you are right now. I'm coming to get you."

"Kaz! I-"

"Don't argue with me this time. Trust me, Nari. Just trust me…" The words bubbling up my throat momentarily pause as I take in the slight pleading in his voice. He was desperately trying to convince me to leave it alone, to be safe. But I couldn't. I just couldn't. Releasing a small sigh, I finally respond.

"…Gomen ne Kaz… but I need to save him. I made some adjustments.." I trail off as I place a hand on the hidden gun on my person. "It should work…or it does in theory."

"…Nari you're basically walking into a starved lion's den blindfolded with a tooth pick to defend yourself with." He deadpans.

"Don't you know it." I answer with a humorless laugh. "Hopefully I'll see you soon Kaz."

"Nari-" I snap the phone shut before he could get another word in. I knew I was going to regret that once I saw him again, or well if I saw him again. I knew the consequences of what I was doing. Fate and death – two entities that despise being challenged and robbed – would not look at me kindly for intervening. Compensation will have to be given, but I push that thought to the back of my mind as I glance down at my phone once again as I hear the obnoxious ringing. The word Kaz flashes across the screen but I merely turn off my phone and pocket it before standing up from my dangerous perch. Closing my purple eyes once again, I slowly inhale and exhale as I recall the scene once again. The blood. The pain. The fear. The regret. I feel my body slightly tremble as the waves of emotion flood my senses before I suddenly snap my eyes open once again.

'I found you.'

Allowing my body to move on its own accord, I trek through the seemingly empty road, acknowledging the possibility that I could possibly be run over myself before I reached the scene, but that didn't matter. I had to get to him. I had to see him. I had to know he was safe. Desperation floods my veins as I suddenly feel myself sprinting. A shadowed figure appears from the woods, walking briskly across the road without taking the time to check if any cars were passing by.

"Ayumu!" I call out frantically, catching the man's attention. He glances in my direction before my voice becomes stuck in my throat as I see the headlights of a car quickly approaching him from behind. He doesn't notice at all; he just stares at me.

'Say something. Move. Move.'

"Move!" I finally yell, causing him to turn to his left as he finally notices the blinding headlights coming towards him. Without my consent, my body barrels towards him as it runs on pure adrenaline, pure instinct. The sound of rushing blood echoes in my ears, but I felt as though I was running in slow motion. I almost reach him, but before I could push him out of the way, he harshly shoves me away, taking the full force of the speeding car.

'No…no… No! Ayumu!'

The tires screech and the resounding crack of breaking bone echoes in the darkness as his body tumbles against the pavement as the car settles to a rough stop.

"Ayumu!" I cry out frantically, stumbling onto my feet to reach the unmoving body several meters away from me – ignoring the painful skid marks from my fall. His chest moves up and down unevenly as if he was straining to breathe. I quickly survey him in an attempt to see the extent of his injuries using the lights from the parked car, immediately noticing his leg bent at an odd angle. Shadows cover his face as a pained expression appears. It seemed as if pushing me away had caused the car to only hit his legs rather than any of organs present in his torso, but I couldn't be entirely sure. The sound of a closing door alerts me of the woman stepping out of her car. A gasp of fear and surprise escapes her lips as she takes in the scene before her. I try to find any unique features of the woman, but it was impossible with the shadows protecting her. Shakily she places her hand on the top of her car to right herself before glancing back at me and getting back into the car. No. She wouldn't. The engine once again starts before the screeching of tires follow as she positions the car to face Ayumu and me. She would. She was going to kill us.

"Ayumu…" I trail off before grasping one of his hands, feeling a small spark of energy from his touch.

I only receive a groan in response.

"I…I'll protect you this time." I vow as I grasp the gun from its prison, cocking it straight at the driver. At that moment, the driver speeds towards us right as I pull the trigger.

~memory lapse~

"A..Ayumu…" My voice cracks as I feel tears prick the back of my eyes as futility was trying to set in. Logically speaking, we had no chance. Even if I somehow made it back to my car, I wasn't in any condition to take him to a hospital; I didn't even know where the hospital in this area was. I swipe my hand through my hair only to cringe as I was met with a wet and thick substance. Blood. Clenching my teeth in annoyance, I grasp his hand with my clean hand, hoping he would somehow wake up. It wasn't long before I heard the sound of sirens in the distance. Was I imagining it? Turning my hazy gaze to the source of the sounds, I see bright blue and red lights quickly approaching. The sound of slamming doors and hurried footsteps soon take over before my eye lids slowly droop down.

"Nari!"

'Kaz..'

"Oi Stay with me!"

'We're safe…'

"Nari!"

His voice fades away before I was met with nothing but darkness.

'Ayumu… '

~memory lapse~

-Scene change: Hospital-

"You're awake." Kaz mutters softly, relief evident in his voice. I send him a small smile as I wrap my arms around his strong frame.

"I figured. Where's Ayumu?" I ask, immediately feeling his form tense.

"What happened?" I growl out, slightly pushing him away to see his face. "Where's Ayumu?"

"It's not him." Kaz answers with a sigh. Seeing my confused expression he slightly rubs the back of his head. "That guy you saved… it wasn't Ayumu."

"But.. " I trail off.

"I know. He does look somewhat similar to Ayumu though, so we passed that off as his name to enter him into the hospital. Sorry Nari… but it's not him."

I clench the white sheets covering me as my form begins to tremble. 'Ayumu… why… why did you have to disappear after that case… why?' I could feel Kaz's eyes on me as I allowed some of my emotions to leak out.

"Even if it wasn't Ayumu… you saved someone Nari." He responds softly, as if talking to a traumatized child. My trembling slowly subsides before I glance up at him with a sad smile, choosing not to respond.

"You always hated it – being able to see snippets of the future but not being able to change it. You would always warn people, strangers even, of the tragedies that would appear in their lives, but they never believed you. When the events you predicted happened, they believed you cursed them." Kaz chuckles coldly before sitting down on a chair near my bed. "And you let them hurt you. You couldn't protect yourself… it was always Ayumu and me who protected to you. I know you hated it Nari. I could tell."

I still don't respond and he takes the silence as a cue to continue.

"You eventually stopped talking about your insight, stopped trying to change things. So why was this time different?" He prompts.

"I thought he was-" I try to explain, only to get cut off.

"You can stop pretending Nari. You and I both know you knew it wasn't Ayumu. You're his twin. You wouldn't mistake someone else as him, even if it was dark. You knew." He concludes as he crosses his arms. I close my eyes before reaching for the silver chain around my neck, grasping the ring hanging there, a matching pair with Ayumu.

"You don't have to answer why, Nari." Kaz adds, "But I hope you learn the reason why." He gets up from his seat, brushing off the invisible dirt off his white dress shirt. "If you want to go talk to him, he's in the room next to yours. He's asked to see you." With that, Kaz exits through the door, leaving me to my own thoughts. Releasing a sigh, I unclench my fist as I gaze down at the ring resting in my hand. It was a simple silver band with interweaving swirls, a matching pair with the ring Ayumu wore on his right hand.

To be honest, Kaz was right. That spark I felt when I touched that guy that night… I knew it wasn't Ayumu. The energy I feel every time I come in physical contact with my twin was unexplainable; I just knew it was him, but when I held that person's hand… it was different but somewhat familiar? He was an amplifier just like Ayumu, but exactly who was he?

Running a hand through my hair, I allow a frustrated groan to escape my lips before I stand up from the hospital bed , noticing the bandages decorating my legs. Not wanting to walk around in just a hospital gown, I glance around for my clothes and find them neatly stacked on the bedside table. Kaz. I allow a small smile to grace my face as I went into the bathroom to change, pulling on my teal tank top before draping on my black vest. I slowly pull on my tan cargo pants, avoiding the sensitive skin wrapped in the bandages before quickly putting on my combat boots. I glance once again at the possessions left for me, noticing the obvious disappearance of my gun. Frowning, I leave the room and stop in front of a door with the words **SAITOU AYUMU **scribbled on the clipboard resting in an out-box. I didn't know what to expect when I opened the door, but I knew I would never know if I didn't. Releasing another sigh, I rack my knuckles against the surface of the door, somewhat hoping I would receive no answer.

"Come in." A voice calls out.

-End Flashback-

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**FILE 1: **

**Spirits all over? - Part 1**

**APRIL, **

**THURSDAY **

That night, I saved a stranger. He seemed so confused at the turn of events, but he eventually took it all in stride with a silly smile adorning his face. I couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"Nari."

I turn away from the window to see Kaz standing near the door, dressed in black slacks and a white dress shirt. A tired expression adorns his face as he loosens his black tie. His long black hair was tied into a low, loose ponytail.

"Long day?" I ask, already knowing the answer as I see part of his hair wet from the rain. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sets his grey eyes onto my blue-contact clad ones.

"You were supposed to be home an hour ago." He intones, causing my expression to deadpan.

"You asked me to check out the school, so I wanted to be thorough. If you're going to transfer me here, give me time to explore." I reply before sticking out my tongue at my poor adopted brother who was used to this behavior.

He doesn't respond for a moment. "He's been asking for you back at home. It seems he's regained some of his memory prior to the accident." He finally responds, causing me to leave my perch on the window sill. I slightly straighten my clothes, adjusting the black vest to hide the gun strapped to my torso as I glance out the window to watch the rain. Ever since the accident, the boy I saved noticed pieces of his memory missing. Seeing as he was suffering from a form of retrograde amnesia, we allowed him to stay with us and after several months, he would recall aspects of his past. Apparently he was a psychic researcher who had taken a case around the area of the accident and was part of some institute. That was all he could remember other than his name, Gene. He said it was a nickname and that was all he could remember for his name. I could tell the memory loss was upsetting to him, but he would always brush away my worries with his kind smile. I will admit that I have grown attached to him over the time he had been staying with us, but I knew eventually he would have to return to his home. I slightly grimace at that thought, feeling like I was treating him like a lost puppy. Anyway, the search for his family was difficult, seeing as the deranged woman who attempted to murder us had somehow escaped the authorities without any charges, so posting his picture out in public was not the best idea. That is, unless we want that psychotic woman coming back for us.

"I see." I answer with a smile before facing Kaz. "This school is normal…" I trail off as I run my hand against the wall. "Nothing supernatural here… at least not without a source anyway."

"Can you be any vaguer?" Kaz questions as he allows a small amused smile to enter his face, causing me to tilt my head to the side as if I was thinking.

"Yup." I answer, making a popping noise at the p. "But then I wouldn't understand it myself." My smile slightly falls, "Hey Kaz… have you heard anything about Ayumu?"

I could distinctly hear a sigh. "No. Nothing." The words feel like a sledgehammer slamming against my chest. It had been almost two years since his disappearing act. Kaz and I have been searching for him, but nothing ever turns up.

"I… I see." I choke out before feeling a hand on my shoulder.

"We'll find him." That was all he said before he left the room, allowing me to reign in my emotions before I follow him out, not noticing the figure that had silently slipped out of the room.

-Scene change: Saitou Household-

"So you don't want him to find you?" I ask confused as I stare at Gene's smiling face.

"Exactly."

I tilt my head to the side in confusion.

"So you have a twin brother named Naru and he thinks you're dead, except you're not." I try to clarify, earning a nod from Gene. "And he's here in Japan looking for you, but you don't want to find him?" Again, another nod.

"You're an idiot." I deadpan, earning myself an uncomfortable laugh from the boy on the leather couch across from mine.

"You could contact him and then rejoin your family. Problem solved." Kaz inputs as he crosses his arms from his position next to me.

"But where's the fun in that?" Gene slightly whines, earning deadpan looks from both Kaz and me. "Look, I want to see him again, but there's something I have to do first."

"And that is?" Kaz questions.

"Hook him up with Mai." Gene announces happily, causing me to release a bout of laughter and a disbelieving look from Kaz.

"You're joking." Kaz mutters.

"Hmm nope." I answer after my laughter subsides, "Doesn't look like he is. Maybe setting his conceited twin up with someone might be interesting." So that was why he kept asking me about the recent vision I saw of him and some girl I never met before. I'm not entirely sure how he found out the girl's name, but I feel like I don't want to know.

"True. True." Gene jokes before his face becomes slightly serious. "Also, I want to help you find Ayumu, Nari." I slightly stiffen. "I know how it feels to be separated from your twin. I want to help you, after all, I wouldn't be here without you."

I allow a small smile to enter my face. "Arigato… you have no idea how much that means to me." I lightly grasp the ring around my neck as I lock my blue contact clad eyes with Gene's. "I haven't been entirely honest with you Gene and I can't be… not yet… Gomen ne…"

His eyes soften as he sends me an understanding look. "I know. Just know I'll help you as much as I can. Now, as to how we'll get Naru and Mai together…" He trails off as a mischievous grin decorates his face.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**FRIDAY**

"I hate you." I ground out to Kaz as he tries to stifle the laughter attempting to escape from his throat.

"Gomen, gomen." He chokes out as he takes in my scowling face. "Just never thought I would see you in a skirt."

"You're enjoying this too much." I sigh out before seeing Gene enter the room; surprise decorates his face before a smile overtakes it.

"You look nice Nari." I stare at him blankly before releasing a tired sigh.

"I look weird." I mutter, causing Kaz to release another chuckle.

"Not many girls wear jeans under their skirts." He adds offhandedly. I glance down at my outfit; it was a simple white sailor looking top with a short black skirt and jeans underneath. "I'm not having hormonal guys sneaking a chance to peek under my skirt." I rebuke. "Again, why are you sending me to school when I've been home schooled for most of my life? This is a waste of time."

"Don't worry about the reason, Nari." Kaz waves off.

I stare at him for several more minutes before resigning, knowing I wasn't going to get an answer. "Fine, fine. I'll see you two later." I call back as I pull out a pair of fake glasses and perch them upon my nose. "Don't ruin the house while I'm gone." I add, earning a 'hey' from Gene. After shutting the door behind me, I cast a glance at the tan bag hanging loosely over my shoulder, feeling some relief that I was able to sneak my gun with me. I run a hand through my ebony locks, noticing that it ended at the middle of my back now.

'It's grown… guess I lost track of time.' I thought aimlessly as I continue walking towards the school, noticing the freshly blossomed cherry blossoms blowing around in the wind.

-Flashback-

**(Third person perspective)**

"What are they Ayumu?" A younger version of Nari could be seen grasping a boy's hand as she stares adoringly at the scene before her. Ayumu's dark locks rested at the nape of his neck and his vibrant violet eyes watch the drifting cherry blossom petals dance through the air.

"They're cherry blossoms." He finally answers, a smile decorating his face.

"They're really pretty Ayumu. Can we take some home with us?" Nari asks innocently, earning herself a pleasant smile from her brother. "Of course Nari. I'd do anything for you."

-End Flashback-

**(First person perspective)**

As the memory ends, I run my hand through my messy locks in frustration.

'Ayumu… where are you?'

It wasn't until I bump into an object did my mind snap back to reality. Reacting on instinct, I grasp the object I ran into, preventing it from crashing onto the hard pavement. Blinking several times, I glance down to see the object I had bumped into was just another student from the school, seeing as she wore the same uniform as me, excluding the jeans. Her eyes slowly peak open as she glances around, probably confused as to why she was not on the ground, before locking her brown eyes with mine. Words seem to be lost to her as she notices my hand tightly holding her arm, explaining why she had not landed harshly on the ground.

'I know her.'

"Gomen ne. I spaced out and didn't notice I ran into you." I apologize, releasing my tight hold on her arm. She slightly rubs her arm before flashing me an easy going smile, eerily similar to Gene's.

"It's alright. It was an accident and you didn't let me fall so it's all good." She replies easily. "So what's your name? I haven't seen you around before. I'm Taniyama Mai."

'So that's why…'

"Saitou Nari. I just transferred here, so it's understandable that you wouldn't recognize me." I reply with a smile.

"Really? Isn't it a bit late to transfer?" She asks curiously.

"Probably." I answer with a shrug.

"Huh… well since you're new, want to be friends?" Mai asks, causing me to smile in response.

"Sure," I reply, walking forward several steps before looking back to see her rooted in her spot. "Well aren't you going to show me around?" She snaps out of her daze to catch up before we ask each other questions - nothing specific though, just general questions. It wasn't long before she stops near an old wooden building.

"Mai?"

She snaps out of her daze. "Huh, did you say something Nari?"

I tilt my head to the side in confusion as I stare at the old school building. "Not really. You just stopped in front of the building all of sudden. I was just wondering why."

She awkwardly scratches her face. "Well, I was just thinking about the rumors surrounding this building and how it looks like they could be true."

"Rumors?" I repeat, earning a nod from Mai.

"Yeah… they were mostly ghost stories. I'll tell you more about them later. Hey, you want to check the building out?" Mai asks, a hopeful expression on her face, causing me to release a sigh before agreeing. That was how I found myself standing next to Mai outside the abandoned old school house building. Mai hesitantly climbs the two steps to the door before peering inside. As she looks through the window, I run my hand against one of the wooden posts, noticing how the wood easily creaks when I apply a little pressure. The creak startles Mai as she quickly glances around to find the source before locking eyes on me. I send her an apologetic smile whereas she sends me a half-hearted glare before resuming her search through the window.

"Find anything?" I finally ask after several more seconds of silence.

"It's a bit hard to see … is that a camera?" With that, she hesitantly opens the door before walking to the room.

"Mai..." I warn, but she ignores me, causing me to sigh before following in after her. The room wasn't interesting. It had several large wooden shoe shelves, something that you would associate with a school building.

"As I thought, it is…" Mai trails off, causing me to snap my gaze to her. She hesitantly approaches the camera.

"Mai… I think you should leave that alone." I warn, walking over to her.

"But what is it doing here?" She asks, facing me.

"Um someone placed it here to make sure someone doesn't steal it?" I joke, earning myself a disbelieving look from Mai before she reaches for the camera once again. My eyes slightly widen as a scene flashes before me.

_[Blood. Blood drips down a man's face as his angered grey eyes match mine.] _

'Who was that?'

"Who's there?" A harsh voice calls out to us, causing me to slightly flinch whereas Mai stumbles back into one of the old wooden shelves, causing it to teeter from side to side.

"Ah… sumimasen. It wasn't like I was-" But Mai gets cut off as the shelf slightly pushes her forward.

"No way!" She exclaims, panic clear on her face.

Dropping my backpack near the door, I sprint towards Mai. "Mai, get out of there!" I exclaim as I send a harsh kick at the shelf in an attempt to topple it to the side, only for it to hit the shelf on the other side before they both swing back towards us.

'Damm you Newton… you just had to make that stupid second law.'

I slam the side of my body against the shelf as a last ditch effort to slow the shelf's descent, but knew I wasn't strong enough to push the shelf, let alone two, back up without relying on my…

"Nari!" Mai exclaims as she rushes back to me to help me push the shelf back, causing me release a growl.

"Oi what part of 'get out of here' don't you understand baka!"

"But I can't just leave you." She attempts to explain. At that moment, I finally notice the sound of footsteps and a shadowed figure charging at us. I feel a harsh shove before the sound of splintering wood and crashing objects resound in the room. Dust covers the area, causing me to cover my eyes before I lower my arm to see a well-dressed man collapsed on the floor. His dark hair covers one side of his face and it was obvious he was in pain. It was the man from my vision.

'Again… I..'

"A-Are you alright?" Mai frantically asks as she rushes to the collapsed man before her, receiving only a pained groan in response. Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I rush over to the man as well, shaking him on the shoulder.

"You need to get up." I say eerily calm despite the emotions churning in me. He moves his head to the side, locking his stormy grey eyes with mine as a trail of blood runs down from a cut on his head. My blood runs cold.

'No… no… no… No!' I cry out in my head as the scene from my vision plays out in front of me. 'Why… I just…I didn't…' I trail off as I feel tears prick the edge of my eyes.

"What's wrong?" A voice calls out, but I ignore it, locking my gaze at the man's obviously angered face.

"I didn't mean to…not again," I whisper, only catching the injured man's attention before quickly snatching my hand away from his shoulder as if it had burned me.

The sound of footsteps snaps me out of my trance as the other figure approaches the collapsed man. As my eyes travel to the other man's face, I froze. Gene. No, Naru.

"Lin, what happened?" The man asks, completely ignoring my gaze. Responding to Naru's voice, Lin glances away from me before using his arms to push himself up. Blood drips onto the ground.

"It looks like a small cut. Can you stand?" Naru questions.

"Yes..." Lin weakly replies as he places a hand over his face.

"Um… sumimasen. I heard a voice all of a sudden and then…" Mai tries to explain, only to have Naru interrupt her.

"Nevermind the excuses; is there a clinic close by?" Naru questions as he drapes one of Lin's arm over his shoulders.

"Ah..There's one outside the school gate." Mai replies as she reaches for Lin's other arm, only to have him slap it away.

"I'm fine. I don't need your help." Lin glares at Mai as blood trails down his forehead. Mai stares at the two unsurely as they stand up.

"We met yesterday, didn't we?" Naru asks as Mai and I stand up as well. She confirms his suspicions, resulting in him asking for her name.

"Taniyama Mai." She replies hesitantly as she clasps her hands together.

"I see… and you?" He switches his gaze on me, causing me to feel slightly uncomfortable seeing as I saw Gene standing in front of me instead.

"Saitou Nari. You?" I could see him slightly pause when he hears my first name; something flitters across his eyes before it quickly disappears.

"Then, Taniyama-san, Saitou-san, I think I should let you know that the bell just rang." He replies smoothly, ignoring my question. Mai stares blankly at the two before running through the door.

"N-no way! I'm late!" I hear her call as I stay rooted in my spot. "Looks like she forgot about me." I mumble to myself with a sigh before walking towards the door to pick up my discarded backpack. I slightly pause at the doorframe before facing the two behind me.

"I don't care if you hate me. I just want to say… gomen ne. If you want to avoid accidents, just avoid me." Not waiting for a response, I walk out the door and head to the school. I knew I was already late, but I could use the 'new girl' card as an excuse so I just took my time. I needed it.

-Time skip: after school-

Apparently Mai was in my class, but before she could talk to me, I ducked out of the classroom as the bell rang, allowing the crowds of students to block me from view. I honestly had no idea where I was going as I walk through the throng of students eagerly leaving the building. My legs continue to carry me through the school building as I attempt to reign in my emotions. After staring into Lin's eyes, it was obvious he hated me. That hatred in his eyes was nothing foreign to me, seeing as it was the only look sent my way once someone found out about me. Gene was different; he accepted me and would treat me like I was human, not some circus freak. He was the only one other than my family who whole-hearted accepted me, and I'm grateful to him for that. Maybe that was the reason why I agreed with Gene's plan to get Mai and Naru together, but regardless of his plan, I don't think it was smart to put me in charge of physically getting them together… if that made sense. I had no sense of romance… so how am I supposed to help two people develop feelings for each other? Gene probably forgot about that.

Releasing a sigh, I run a hand through my messy ebony locks before hearing the voice belonging to the person I was trying to avoid.

"Saitou-san." Naru calls out to me. Not turning around, I halt in my steps. At this point in time, I had two options: give up and listen or run away and hope he doesn't chase after me.

'Definitely option 2.'

With that, I shift the strap of my backpack on my shoulder before bolting through the hallway, hearing the distinct annoyed call coming from behind me.

'He actually chased me… didn't think he was the type to do that…' I thought bitterly before quickly entering a dark, empty classroom and closing the door. I lean against the wall and after several moments, I hear footsteps tapping against the hallway floor before they slowly stop in front of the door of the classroom I was currently in. Seconds felt like minutes. Minutes felt like hours until finally the sound of footsteps move away from the door and further down the hallway. I release a sigh of relief before slumping down onto the ground so that I sat with my knees close to my chest.

'He's persistent… after I specifically told him to stay away… Kaz what the hell were you thinking when you sent me here! You know I can't get close to people…' I slightly hug my knees before releasing another sigh. 'Well, seeing as how I'm stuck in this school, I better make something of it…' I thought before I hear two voices outside the classroom.

"Umm… how is he?"

'Mai?'

"About that… he suffered a bad ankle sprain and won't be able to stand for a while."

'Naru?'

"I-I'm really sorry to hear that. And how do you know him?" Mai tries to strike up a conversation.

"Assistant."

"Then that means you help him with his work?"

"Other way around." I hear Naru's footsteps stop. "He's the assistant; I'm the boss. And that assistant can't move so it's up to you and your friend to take his place."

I tense at his words. 'What?'

"Seeing as she ran away the moment she heard my voice, I ask you locate her and tell her the news."

"Hey, hold on a minute!" Mai exclaims.

"The camera's broken." That silences her. "My assistant tried to stop you from touching the camera and now it's in pieces."

"How…how much was it?" Mai asks hesitantly, already dreading the answer.

"It's quite expensive. Compensating me would be impossible for you, so you only have one option. Work as my assistant."

"Assistant?" Mai repeats, "As in, I'll be helping you with your work?"

"Isn't that what I just said?" Naru answers, causing me to slightly scoff at his reply.

"What do you do at your job?" Mai asks.

"I hunt ghosts."

'Why am I not surprised…whoever's watching me up there just loves messing with me.' I thought as I continue to listen in.

"Eh?"

"In other words, ghost exorcists. We received a request from the principal to investigate the old school. I'm with Shibuya Psychic Research."

"Psychic research?" Mai repeats.

"Is that a question?"

Mai doesn't respond as I hear the soft patter of footsteps. "Psychic research is another term for spiritual investigation. We basically examine and scrutinize reports of supernatural phenomena. And I run the company."

"No way…" I hear Mai respond in disbelief.

"I'll see you later then." With that, the sound of footsteps disappears before I hear Mai leaving the area as well.

"Looks like I'm home free." I mutter to myself before standing up.

"I wouldn't say that."

I pause at the voice before releasing a sigh and facing Naru. Annoyance could be seen on his face.

"You knew I was in here, didn't you?"

"Do I really need to answer that question?" He retorts, shooting me a disinterested look.

"I'll take that as a no." I mumble to myself, "And you're here why?"

"You owe me a camera."

"I didn't break it… " I answer lamely, before running a hand through my hair. "Look, why don't you let me take a look at it and I'll try to fix it?"

"I highly doubt that."

"It's already in pieces… the worse it can get is even more pieces. Not like you have anything to lose." I answer with a shrug.

"Very well."

"After that, just leave me alone alright? I don't like getting close to people."

"Is that so? Any particular reason why? I seem to recall you telling me to stay away if I wanted to avoid accidents."

'Me and my damn mouth…'

"Look… I'm a trouble magnet. Accidents just have a tendency to occur when I'm around." I answer with a shrug. "Besides, you remind me too much of him…" I trail off, confusing Naru.

"Excuse me?"

"My brother… you remind me a lot of him." I explain, not understanding exactly why I was talking to Naru about this. "Just forget it alright? I'll take a look at your camera, fix it up, and then you'll live happily ever after with your beloved camera. Problem solved." I finish lamely, earning myself a scoff from the black clad stalker.

Before he could respond, I hear the distinct ring of my cellphone. "Hold that thought." I mutter out before glancing down at the caller ID to see Kaz flash through the screen. Releasing a sigh, I answer the phone.

"What." I growl out, earning a slightly amused chuckle.

"Bad day?" He replies, causing me to roll my eyes.

"What part of trouble magnet don't you understand Kaz?" I add in before sighing, "Look… I've had a long day. What do you want?"

"You have a case." I pause at his words, knowing exactly what he meant.

"Reject it."

"Come on Nari. It's at your school.~" I hear Gene's voice say in the background. "Why does he sound like he's high on sugar?" I ask as I place a hand over my face. "Because he is." Kaz states simply. "I'm not forcing you to take it, rather, why not assist in it? After all, isn't that what Naru was about to ask you?" I froze at his words.

"… Do I want to know how you know that?" I ask hesitantly, earning a laugh from Gene. "Nope~" Gene sings in the background, causing me to sigh. "I hate you."

"You don't." Kaz retorts. "Just give up and accept. It will be easier." With that, the line clicks and I'm met with the sound of static. Annoyance coating my eyes, I snap the phone close before shoving it back into my pocket.

"If you're done," Naru interrupts as he walks over to me. "This isn't just about a camera. This is about replacing my assistant that you had a hand in sending to the doctors."

"You have Mai." I rebuke.

"You'd let her take all the responsibility?"

I could feel my eye twitching in annoyance at his persistence. Why won't he just give it up? "No… " I trail off, feeling akin to a child getting scolded by a parent. "Fine… I'll help with your investigation, but don't get close to me. I'm not here to make friends."

'That's a lie.'

"I'm only doing this to repay you."

'Another lie.'

"Very well." Naru concedes before he makes his way toward the door; he pauses for a moment before facing me with a smirk adorning his face. "Just so you know…You're a very bad liar." With that, he leaves the room. I stare blankly at the spot he stood several moments before as a small chuckle escapes from my lips. "Naru huh? Looks like your brother is going to be a hard guy to crack, Gene." I mutter to myself before leaving the room as well.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**FRIDAY EVENING**

-Outside the old school building-

"You still haven't told me your name." I point out as I watch Naru open the black van. He pauses for a moment to glance at me. "Kazuya Shibuya." He answers simply before resuming his work.

'So he's not native to Japan. He wouldn't have introduced himself like that if he was. Makes sense since his real last name isn't Japanese.'

At that moment, Mai appears next to me out of breath.

"I've been *pant* looking all *pant* over for you." She chokes out as she attempts to breathe. "Where have you been this whole time?"

"Here." I reply simply, earning me a deadpan expression.

"I doubt it." Mai mutters to herself before glancing at the van. "Oh wow…" I had to agree with her, the equipment loaded in the van looked really impressive.

"One week ago, the school's principal came into our office," Kazuya *cough*Naru*cough*explains as he hands Mai a tripod, "I did some research on what happened." He adds as he hands Mai a box, causing her to release a groan as she strains to balance all the weight in her arms. Ignoring Mai's apparent struggle with the objects, Naru continues, "The old school building was used as part of the school until eighteen years ago. Since that time, every year, one or two deaths have been confirmed. In the case of the demolition of the west wall, the accident where the roof collapsed did, in fact, occur." He trails off as he types on his laptop to pull out an article, "However, there is no truth about the workers being killed. Only five people were injured and that was due to a worker's negligence." Naru concludes before picking up several more boxes and chords and handing them to me before taking several boxes himself.

"Construction ended with only a third of the planned demolition ever being finished." Naru continues to explain as he leads us through the old school building, "It's true that a teacher did in fact commit suicide, but that too was explained in the form of a suicide note." Mai steps on a creaky floorboard and looks up at the ceiling, possibly imaging the teacher hanging before her. "And the runaway truck from last year was due to a drunk driver and so, work was cancelled for the last time. There's no doubt that the rumors played a part in this decision… As far as my research shows, there's nothing that takes these stories beyond their level of rumors. For a place this active, each incident has a clear cause." Naru finishes explaining as he places down the folded up rack on the table. "We'll set up base here."

"Base?" Mai repeats.

"Base is where we'll do our observations." Naru explains calmly as he gazes down at Mai.

"Arigato.. for the explanation." Mai responds with a sweat drop.

"Put the shelves together. I'll start bringing in the equipment." Naru orders as he makes his way to the door.

"You want me to stay here by myself?!" Mai exclaims in disbelief.

"I'm still here you know." I respond, causing Mai to send me an apologetic smile.

"Sumimasen… you were so quiet I almost forgot you were there."

"It's fine." I wave off before facing Naru, "N-ne Kazuya, if you still have that broken camera, I'd like to take a look at it."

'Almost blew it.'

He glances at me questioningly before replying. "You won't be able to fix it." I roll my eyes.

"Just let me see. Again, the worst I can do is return it in more pieces."

He pauses for a moment before sighing, "Follow me then."

"Hey!" Naru and I turn back to look at Mai, immediately noticing the uneasiness on her face. Releasing a sigh, I reach into my pocket before placing the object in Mai's hand.

She glances down at her hand in confusion, "A whistle? Really?"

"Just in case you need to call us." I explain.

"And you have this why?" She asks with a deadpan expression.

"Overprotective brother." I answer with a shrug. "Honestly, I don't see how a whistle works against a rapist; I think a kick to the crotch is better." Naru's mouth twitches downward slightly at the thought.

"Once I give you the camera, stay here and help Mai with the shelves." Naru explains as he makes a move to exit the room.

"Why don't I just help you? We'll get it done faster that way." He pauses for a moment as if thinking it over before nodding his head. "Very well."

I follow after him, hearing Mai mutter about how she would be all alone in an abandoned building where she could suddenly get spirited away. I roll my eyes at the last part and see Naru leaning back into the room.

"Mai." He calls out, earning himself a 'yes' in response, "Could you cut the theatrics? It's annoying." With that, he leaves the room, motioning me to follow him. I couldn't help the small chuckle that escapes my lips once I hear the frustrated groan coming from the room. It didn't take us long for reach the van and after sifting through the boxes, Naru hands me the one containing the broken camera before draping a looped black cord over his right shoulder.

"Take a look at it once you finish unloading more of the equipment." Naru states before striding back to the old school house. Cracking my back, I stack the box containing the broken camera on top of another box before lifting them up. Slightly surprised at the weight of the two boxes, I shift them in my arms before walking back into the school house. As I walk through the hallways, I hear a banging noise, causing me to halt in my steps. I glance around, but see nothing that could cause it. A moment later, I hear the distinct sound of the whistle, causing me to quickly place the boxes onto the ground before sprinting through the hallway.

"Mai!" I call out as I harshly slide the door to the side, seeing Naru holding his ears in annoyance as Mai looks at him sheepishly.

"So I'm assuming you used the rape whistle on Kazuya." I quirk an eyebrow at Mai, causing her to flush in embarrassment and Naru to send me a glare.

"Sumimasen…" Mai mutters as her shoulders sag, "I heard the ceiling creaking and then the lights suddenly turned on."

"So no banging?" I ask, earning confused glances my way. "I'm taking that as a no then." I sigh out as I run a hand through my hair.

"Stop goofing around and get back to work." Naru finally mutters out as he walks further into the room, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, narcissist." I wave off as I make my way back to my discarded boxes.

-Time skip-

After we finish unloading, I set down the camera on one of the tables and being to fiddle around with some of the wires.

"What are those?" I hear Mai ask.

"Infrared and high-speed cameras: used to take pictures in complete darkness. These.." Naru pauses, "are for thermography; they give temperature readings in accordance to the image they record."

I hear the tapping of footsteps and the slight clicks of turning knobs.

"It's amazing how you know how to use all this stuff." Mai comments.

"Not really. Your mind and mine are just very different." Naru retorts, causing Mai to release a small groan.

Shaking my head at the two, I continue to fiddle with the wires before noticing the missing sensor. Tilting the box to the side, I pull out some of the broken pieces of the camera before pulling out a chip and placing it onto one of the circuit boards. After fiddling with more of the wires, a flashing light appears – signaling the camera was currently operating. Allowing a small smile to enter my face, I screw the cover back onto the side of the camera before turning it off.

"I fixed it." I call out, earning myself two surprised looks.

"You... fixed it?" Naru asks, skeptical of my claim.

"Did you not hear me the first time?" I slightly joke before holding out the camera and turning it on. "Several parts were missing and some of the wires were dislodged, but with what you had, I was able to repair the camera back to its former condition, possibly better since I replaced the older parts with newer ones."

He takes the camera from my hands and examines it, noticing how it responds perfectly to his commands. "I see. Looks like I was mistaken. Arigato Nari." He replies with a slight upward tilt of his lips.

"Hey, what made you go into the ghost hunting business?" Mai calls out, causing Naru to snap his attention back to her. "There was a need for it," He replies simply as he walks to one of the shelves to put away the camera.

"Have you ever had any cases you couldn't solve?" She continues, earning a negative from Naru. "That's something. Not only are you good looking, you're smart too."

I stare at her blankly for a moment before blinking several times. 'Huh… guess my job might be easier than I thought Gene… Looks like Mai is already attracted to Naru… now the hard part…'

"So you think I'm handsome?" Naru asks as he turns to face Mai.

"Uh, well, that's what all the girls at school are making a fuss over." Mai replies nervously; Naru pauses for a moment before looking at me.

"Nari, do you think I'm handsome?"

I stare blankly at him for several moments, allowing the question to sink in. "If you define handsome as having most of the female student body fawning and willing to throw themselves at you, then yes." He stares at me for several moments before facing the cameras once again.

"I see. Well, they have good taste."

Mai and I send each other a disbelieving look at his response.

-Time skip-

Mai could be seen resting her head on one of the desks, exhausted from setting up all the cameras, as Naru paces around the room, checking the monitors. I glance out the windows to see the sun slowly setting. 'It's getting late.'

"You two can go home for today." Naru states, causing Mai to get up from her position on the desk.

"For today?" She questions, "You can't be…"

"I'll see you both tomorrow." Naru interrupts, still glancing at the papers in his hands. Heaving a frustrated groan, Mai adjusts her bag onto her back before turning to me.

"Nari, do you want to walk home together?"

"Sure." I reply, tossing the strap of my backpack over one of my shoulder before placing a hand on the table to push myself up. At that moment, a scene flashes before me.

_[A miko. Two figures approaching a door. Sinking ground. Shattering glass. A scream. Blood.]_

'Who…who was that?' I thought as I place a hand over my eyes. 'Don't get involved… it…that was nothing…'

"Nari? Are you alright?" I glance over to Mai to see both the occupants in the room sending me questioning looks.

"Probably just tired from all the lifting today." I reply easily, earning myself a smile of understanding from Mai and a skeptical look from Naru.

-Time skip: Outside the School Building-

When we leave the school house, Mai releases a long sigh.

"Long day?" I joke, earning myself a nod.

"I can't believe we have to come back tomorrow."

"Well, it can't be helped. Too bad all our work is going to go to waste though." I answer with a shrug.

"Waste? You mean everything I did today was a waste of time?!" Mai questions as she flails her arms.

"Yup." I respond, making a popping noise at the p, "There's nothing supernatural in there, well not without its source anyway."

"Huh?"

Before I could respond, a bright light interrupts us – causing me to cover my eyes with the sleeve of my uniform top.

"Mai? Were you here with Kazuya-senpai all night long?"

"What were you doing?"

The light lowers, revealing two girls from my homeroom.

"Keiko, Michiru." Mai identifies before the girls send their glances towards me.

"You're the girl who just transferred here? Nari right?" One of the girls questions, earning a nod in response.

-Time skip: At a bench-

"Paranormal research?" Keiko asks in disbelief.

"So he's not an upper classmen…" Michiru trails off in dismay.

"He's not." I confirm as I watch the two disappointed girls from my seat next to Mai.

"Apparently, he's a ghost hunter." Mai inputs.

"Ghost hunter?" The two girls repeat in confusion before another voice appears.

"Taniyama-san…, " The voice trails off before a girl in pigtails and glasses comes towards us. She was dressed in the school uniform and I believe she's also in my homeroom. "Could you introduce me to him?" She finishes as she places a hand on her chest.

"Introduce you to Naru-chan?" Mai clarifies.

"What's all this 'Naru-chan' stuff all about?" Michiru asks as she closes in on Mai.

"Pfft… it does suit him. He's pretty narcissistic, "I input.

"That's right! He's the biggest narcissist I've ever seen! I can't believe I have to work for him!" Mai complains.

"Well… we did end up confining his assistant to bed rest…" I trial off, earning myself a shut-up look from Mai – causing me to release a careless shrug in response.

Not wanting to be ignored, the other girl walks toward us. "After all, I can sense spirits and I may be able to help him with something."

Mai looks at the girl uneasily, "I don't think it's such a good idea since he's a professional…"

"Well I am by no means an amateur!" The girl rebukes harshly, causing Michiru and Keiko to narrow their eyes at the girl.

"Mai, let's go." Michiru whispers before pulling Mai from the bench.

"Y-yeah…" Mai stutters out.

"You too Nari." Keiko mutters, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from the scene. As she pulls me away, I glance back to see the girl sag her shoulders as a forlorn expression takes over her face. I knew that expression; she was lonely and hurt. After several more seconds, Keiko releases my hand and Michiru does the same to Mai as we stop in front of a convenience store.

"She's such a weirdo! She's been like that since middle school." Keiko cries out.

"That girl is so strange." Michiru agrees as she crosses her arms over her chest.

'Werido…strange…just another way to say freak…' I thought to myself with a small frown. 'I'm not sure if I believe in her ability to see spirits but… something is off about her…I'll have to look into this.'

"Who was that anyway?" I ask, earning glances my way.

"That's right. You just transferred here so you wouldn't know. Her name's Kuroda. She had a lot of the same classes as me and would constantly bug people about seeing spirits or something." Keiko explains.

"So you obviously don't believe her?" I ask, earning nods of confirmation from Keiko and Michiru.

"I'm guessing a lot of people in your classes share the same thoughts?" I ask as the sound of a siren rings through the air.

"Pretty much." Michiru confirms before walking away with Keiko. "It was nice to meet you Nari, but we need to head home. Bye Mai."

"Bye Mai, Nari." Keiko calls to us as they walk away.

"I bet I know why she wants to help; she must have a crush on Shibuya-san." Michiru jokes with Keiko.

"No way! That's gross!" Keiko laughs.

I glance over at Mai and see her looking at the spot where Kuroda once stood, noticing the sound of the sirens getting louder and louder.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Saitou Household-

"I'm home." I call out, immediately noticing the eerie silence blanketing the house. Narrowing my eyes, I flick on the light switch before walking further into the room. "Gene? Kaz?" I call out again, only to receive no response.

'They should both be home right now…'

Pulling my gun out of my backpack, I walk through the kitchen and notice a figure passing the couch. Not hesitating, I tackle the figure to the ground before pinning him on his stomach with his arm behind his back.

"Who are you?" I growl out before noticing the small sparks forming against my skin at the contact I had with the person. "Wait... Gene?" I hear a muffled groan in response. Getting up from my position, I walk over to turn on the light switch to see Gene rubbing his arm as he stands up.

"Geez Nari. Were you trying to dislocate my arm or something?" Gene jokes, sending me a silly smile. I release a sigh as I run a hand through my hair. "Why didn't you answer me when I called you?"

"Huh? I just woke up." Gene answers, "If I knew you would tackle me every time I sleep on the couch, I would do that more often." He teases, causing my face to slightly heat up in embarrassment.

"Gomen ne… just thought you were a robber or something."

Gene tilts his head to the side, a frown marring his face before his smile returns. "I see. I'll make sure to answer next time then. How was school?" Once the question leaves his lips, a grimace forms on my face.

"Haha that bad?" He asks as he grabs my hand to pull me to the couch. "Want to talk about it?" He questions as he positions himself like a psychiatrist – taking my glasses off my face to put on his as he holds a fake pen and notepad. I slightly smile at the sight.

"Really?" I ask, resulting him in motioning me to go on. Shaking my head at him I reply, "I blame your brother."

That catches his attention. He strokes his fake beard, appearing to be in deep thought. "Go on."

* * *

**AN: So that was the first chapter. I had trouble working with Gene's character, seeing as all I had to go on was Naru saying Gene was a lot like Mai in the manga, so hopefully I was able to make him fit that? Naru is a bit difficult for me to write as well, but I think I'll just have to get used to that. This time around I'm working with three Oc's right off the bat, so it's a bit difficult to create definite roles for them. Tell me what you think, liked, hated. Review if you want and until next time…**

**Ja ne~**


	2. File 1: Evil Spirits All Over? Part 2

**AN: Here's the next chapter. College is starting to pick up so I might not be able to update for a while. I hope this long chapter makes up for it though. Kaz takes on a more prominent role in this chapter. Anyway, I left responses to the reviews at the end of this chapter so feel free to take a look. (= On with the story! (^.^)**

**{~}**

**Notes:**

_[Visions]_

_'Video events'_

'Thoughts'

"Normal conversation"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of the characters except my Oc's. All rights of the picture used in the cover belong to the artist.**

* * *

**(First person perspective - Nari)**

**SATURDAY**

Releasing a yawn, I slowly make my way over to Naru's van, immediately spotting Mai and Naru.

"What are you doing?" Mai asks as she clasps her hands behind her back, leaning a bit towards Naru to glance at his work. Seeing as we didn't have school, Mai was dressed in loose fitting green shorts and a pink top whereas I was wearing my usual cargo pants, teal tank top, and black vest. Naru was still dressed in his usual black clothes.

"Checking over last night's data." He replies, not sparing a glance from his laptop before adding, "Nothing significant."

"Nothing should have appeared anyway," I add as I stifle another yawn, catching Mai and Naru's attention. 'Maybe I shouldn't have stayed up that late…' I thought as I run a hand through my messy locks, '…good thing Gene made me go to bed before it was too late…or well not as late as I used to stay up…'

"Hey Nari," Mai greets before confusion appears on her face, "What do you mean nothing should have shown up?" She finishes as she tilts her head to the side.

I make a move to answer, but another voice speaks up.

"That's some fancy equipment you have there." We turn around to see a red-haired woman in a yellow coat covered in green leaves. "Seems too high tech for children to be playing with." She finishes as she places a hand on her hip.

"And you are?" Naru asks, though showing little interest.

A smirk appears on her face. "I'm Matsuzaki Ayako, the shrine maiden. It seems the school principal wasn't sold on you, so here I am."

'A miko…' I trail off in thought, 'Looks like she's the new victim.' I turn my gaze away, finding the ground more interesting.

"I was under the impression mikos were pure, innocent virgins." Naru comments as he closes his eyes.

'Ouch.' A smile creeps onto my face as Mai stifles her giggles.

*tick mark* "And your point?" She snips back, clearly offended.

"You do seem a bit old to be a virgin." Naru responds evenly, causing the blonde man behind Ayako to stifle his own laughter.

A faint blush dusts her face as her face contorts in irritation, "Nice…very funny… smart ass!" She grounds out as her body slightly trembles in anger.

"And you?" Naru addresses the man standing behind her. "I would guess you're too intelligent to be the shrine maiden's assistant."

A smile appears on the man's face as his laughter subsides, "I'm a monk from Mt. Kaya; the name's Takigawa Housho."

"Since when were monks allowed to have long hair?" Naru questions, allowing a smirk to appear on Ayako's face.

"It's postdate!" Housho defends.

"Apostate…" Ayako clarifies in amusement, causing Housho's face to slightly scrunch up.

"Hey! I'm just on a little high adieus. At any rate, play time is over now kids. You may have gotten this big gig because your office is nearby but the principal himself said it seems like a scam to have a teenager running the show."

"Oh, did he now?" Naru question, not at all phased.

"The principal is wasting his money, hiring all of us for a simple job." Ayako waves off.

"Yeah, all he needed was me." Housho comments.

Ayako looks at him skeptically, "I wouldn't be so sure…"

I roll my eyes at the two adults before me; they were more childish than the so called 'children,' but maybe we needed that. I heave out a sigh, earning some looks.

"Something wrong kid?" Ayako asks as she crosses her arms, causing me to stare at her blankly before running a hand through my hair.

"Nothing really. If you really are a miko, then I better be careful if I were you."

"Huh. I should be saying that to you. What are you? 14? I should be telling you to be careful kid. This place isn't for children." Ayako brushes off.

"I'm 17." I deadpan, earning myself a surprised gasp from Mai, "I just heard mikos aren't extremely reliable outside their element."

"Excuse me?" She bristles.

"Wait if you're 17, then why are you in my class?" Mai interrupts, causing me to match her gaze.

"My brother messed up the paperwork." I answer with a shrug, "Besides, I've been homeschooled for most of my life. Public school is … a forced experiment."

Before anyone could comment, another voice interrupts.

"Thank goodness you're all here. That haunted old schoolhouse has been terrifying me for weeks." I glance over to the source to see Kuroda walking out of the bushes with a hopeful expression.

"Kuroda-san?" Mai mutters.

"You see, I have psychic abilities and the souls trapped there-" Kuroda tries to explain only to be cut off by Ayako.

"Stop grand standing; you're just looking for attention. Are you really that desperate for people to like you?"

"Excuse me that was extremely rude!" Mai interjects.

"It's true. She only claims to sense them in the hope that she will get attention." Ayako explains unperturbed. I glance over at Kuroda and see her clenching her hands as her body begins to tremble.

"That's enough!" Mai exclaims before a dark chuckle escapes Kuroda, causing me to narrow my eyes at the girl.

"I'll call a spirit to haunt you!" Kuroda threatens, causing some of the observers to widen their eyes, "You'll regret this, fake miko." With that, she turns and walks away. I continue to stare at her retreating form, grasping the bandaging on my left arm.

"H-hey, Naru what are we doing today?" Mai asks, still slightly unsettled by Kuroda's announcement.

"Wait, what did you just say?" Naru turns around to face Mai, an unreadable expression on his face.

'Looks like it finally comes out.'

He stands up and faces Mai, causing her to nervously take a step back. "Did you say 'Naru'?"

"Gomen…" Mai trails of uncertainly.

"Where did you hear that?" His expression turns colder, causing Mai's nerves to skyrocket.

"Eh? You mean you've been called that before?" Her surprise morphs into strained glee, "Of course that makes sense! I couldn't be the first to come up with something like Naru the Narcissist…" Mai awkwardly laughs while patting his chest.

"Real smooth…" I joke, earning myself a half-hearted glare from Mai. "But I admit it really does suit Naru." I add, catching Naru's gaze for a moment before he looks away.

"Good morning everyone. It's nice to see you're all here." We all turn around to see the principal standing with a blonde-haired boy and…Kaz. Wait what? "I would like to introduce you to John Brown." He motions to the blonde.

"G'day mate." John bows before standing straight. "I'm John Brown and I come from the great outback of Australia. I can't express how glad I am to meet you all."

At the sound of the accent in his voice, everyone but Naru, Kaz, and I snicker.

"John Brown is relatively new to our country, so please show him the respect he deserves." The principal intones.

"No, no let me guess you sense spirits right?" Ayako questions between her laughter.

Not insulted by the laughter, John happily replies that he is an exorcist, causing the laughter to cease.

"If I recall correctly, only those who have first been ordained Catholic priest can become an exorcist. You seem a little young." Naru questions.

"You really know you stuff, mate. I actually turned nineteen several weeks ago. That's why I look so young." John replies with a smile.

"Looks like you all are getting along. Before I go, I would also like to introduce Kazama-san." The principal motions for Kaz to step forward. "He's offered his assistance should the need be called upon." Kaz scans the group before him before resting his eyes on me, allowing a small smile to appear on his face.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Please call me Kaz. I am mostly here to pay a visit to my sister, but I suppose you can call me a nontraditional exorcist." He replies evenly before walking up to me and placing a hand on my shoulder. At the contact, I feel the soothing hum of energy flowing through me. "But I doubt my assistance will be needed, isn't that right Nari?" He adds before ruffling my hair affectionately.

"Wait, that's your brother?" Mai asks, pointing at him. "You two look nothing alike."

I swat his hand with a small smile before answering, "I'm adopted. My real brother's…" I trail off as my smile disappears, "He's…*sigh* nevermind."

'Why did I just blurt that out…' The others seem to catch onto my reluctance to continue and decide to drop the subject.

Releasing a sigh, I look up to Kaz's unreadable expression, "Again, why are you here?" He merely smirks.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip: School House Base-

"So we have an exorcist, an apostate monk, a ghost hunter, and a nontraditional exorcist…whatever that means. Obviously the bone-headed principal doesn't have much faith in my unique cleansing abilities. Humph! Just watch, I'll clean out his whole place myself." Ayako leaves the room with a huff.

"I'll also take a look around." Housho waves off as he too leaves the room, leaving Naru at his computer with John, Mai, Kaz, and me standing idly in the room.

"Uh, excuse me sir?" John looks at Naru hesitantly.

"Do as you wish," Naru replies without looking away from his computer.

"I mean, I would like to work with you on this." John clarifies before Ayako's scream is heard. All of us run out of the room to gather around the door trapping Ayako in the room.

Housho looks for an alternative to opening the door before taking a step back. "Stand back. I'm going to kick it down."

"Hurry and open it!" Ayako calls out before Housho kicks down the door. The door shatters upon impact, revealing a disheveled Ayako before she heads to the base, nose high in the air. Others soon follow her, but Kaz, Naru, and I lag behind – finding a nail sticking out of the wooden frame interesting.

"Looks a bit out of place." Kaz comments as he gazes down at the nail Naru now held between his fingers. Naru flicks his eyes over to Kaz for a moment before giving a slight nod.

"We should get back to the others." Naru adds before heading back to the base with the nail in his hand.

"Can you take a look at it?" Kaz whispers as he eyes Naru's retreating back. I give him an unnoticeable nod before crouching down to run my hand against the bottom of the wooden door frame.

"There's nothing here." I confirm, matching my gaze with Kaz. "No source. No mischief." I finish with a smile. Kaz merely nods before taking my hand to lead me back to the others. The familiar hum of energy courses through me at the contact before he releases my hand once we approach the others.

"I was looking around the classroom when the door suddenly slammed shut. I tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge." Ayako explains as she crosses her arms. Everyone in the room was gathered around her chair.

"I see." Naru comments before matching my gaze. "Nari, I recall you mentioning numerous times about the absence of a source; hence, no paranormal activity. Care to explain?"

I cast a quick glance over at Kaz before facing Naru, "I only said the truth. There's nothing here. There are outside factors that are being overlooked. To be honest, if someone wanted to, they could have snuck in, slammed the door, and wedged it shut with something to trap Ayako. You'd be surprised how strong human motivation is."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ayako asks, slightly confused.

I shift my eyes to Ayako. "Didn't Kuroda threaten you?"

"Yeah, what of it? It was just another ploy to get attention."

I simply smile in response. "You would be surprised the extremes people will go to get noticed. But back to the topic at hand, no there's nothing here."

"I agree."

We all turn to the voice to see a girl with short black hair dressed in a kimono standing at the farthest side of the room.

"G-ghost!" Mai exclaims before grasping onto Naru to hide her face. I couldn't help but smirk at the scene. 'Looks like my job might be a bit easier…'

"Relax, she's human. Hara Masako is a spirit medium." Naru replies calmly as he watches her approach him.

"Spirit medium?" Mai repeats as she releases Naru.

"Fantastic, now they're calling in a TV star?" Housho mutters exasperatedly.

"This is ridiculous!" Ayako leaves her seat to face Masako with a frown, "It's easy to fake results on television. The only reason she gets ratings is because she's pretty and wears that silly kimono."

"I would beg to differ on that note. She seems to be more attuned to the spiritual world if you would call it that." Kaz inputs, earning himself a glare from Ayako.

"Why thank you, I'll take that as a compliment." Masako responds charmingly before facing Naru. "Have I met you somewhere before?"

Naru stares back at her evenly, "No, this is the first time we've meet, but your reputation precedes you."

"Right…" Masako trails off before glancing over at Kaz. Confusion enters her face for a moment before she slightly shakes her head, seemingly berating herself thinking she knew Kaz.

'What's that about… has she met Kaz before? Or did she mistaken him for someone else…'

"Anyway, there's a haunting here. In my professional opinion, I can say with certainty that it's the work of an earth spirit." Ayako announces with a wave of her hand.

Housho shakes his head. "I believe it's a residual haunting. A traumatic event must have happened in this building."

"Oh, I get it. Like someone was murdered and they have to spend eternity searching the halls for their killer or something?" Mai breaks in as she approaches Housho.

"Close. I think the entity is afraid of losing its home, so it's blocking construction." He clarifies.

Naru continues to look at the nail in his hand before switching his gaze to John. "John, what do you think?

"Well, I'm not exactly sure, but usually a haunting originates with a ghost, spirit, or entity occupying a structure."

Naru ponders his words before switching his gaze over to Kaz. "Kaz. Your thoughts?"

"There's still the chance there's a natural occurrence for this. Although the situation doesn't appear that way, I would take an approach in that direction before looking into the paranormal source."

"So it's either a haunting, folklore, fiction, or a natural occurrence." Naru states out loud before facing Mai and me. "Are you listening Mai?"

"Of course I am! What do you take me for?"

"These are things you need to know."

"Enough talk! I'm getting rid of this thing as soon as I get back. I don't know how much longer I can put up with you people." Ayako huffs as she storms out of the room only to be blocked by Kuroda.

"I wouldn't be so confident in your abilities. The spirit that haunts this site is very powerful." Kuroda warns as she glares at Ayako.

"Kuroda?" I mutter out as I narrow my eyes at the girl.

"Move aside." Ayako orders as she shoves Kuroda to the side. Before Kuroda could hit the ground, Mai steadies her.

"The spirit attacked me." Kuroda adds weakly, earning the attention of the rest of the room.

"It's true. I was walking down the hallway when my hair was yanked back by an enormous force. When I tried to flee, it started strangling me."

'If that's the case, then there should be some marks on her neck. If what Kuroda said about the spirit being powerful and angry is true, it wouldn't hold back on her if it thought she was a nuisance. But her neck… no handprints. As for her hair being yanked… ' I glance at the neatly made braids in Kuroda's hair. 'There should at least be a bit disheveled, but they appear to be the same as they were when we met her outside the building. There's the possibility she redid her hair, but I won't know for sure unless I know the time she was supposedly attacked.'

"When did this happen?" Naru questions evenly.

"A few minutes ago in the second floor hallway."

'A few minutes ago… I suppose she could have redone her braids in that amount of time, but I doubt she would be concentrating on her hair after being attacked by said powerful spirit. The physical evidence doesn't add up…'

"That's false. There are no spirits here." Masako interjects, earning a glare from Kuroda.

"Yes there are!"

"There's nothing here." I mutter calmly, earning myself a glare from Kuroda.

"There are! How would you know anyway; you're not even a psychic."

I couldn't help the smile creeping onto my face. If only she knew. "If you've been in my situations, you'd be able to spot trouble fairly easily." I shrug carelessly before matching my eyes with her angered ones. "What… are you mad at me? Hate me? Go right ahead. You could curse me for all I care. It wouldn't change the fact that the spirit isn't here without its master."

"You-" Kuroda growls out.

"You said it was the second floor hallway?" Naru interrupts, not addressing the obvious tension in the room. At her slight nod, Naru turns on the monitors to view the footage. Kuroda is seen entering the building through the front door. Another monitor shows her ascending the stairs whereas the next monitor over shows her entering the second floor hallway before static covers the entire screen.

"What just happened? Is the camera broken?" Mai asks as she continues to stare at the static filled screen.

Naru's eyes slightly widen before he places his hand on his chin. "No, but it's quite strange. When a spirit becomes active around electronic equipment, the equipment often malfunctions. But here, I'm not so sure... is It a spirit or EM interference?"

"It's obviously a spirit. Interference doesn't cause someone to be attacked!" Kuroda jumps in.

"But Masako and Nari said that there are no spirits here." Mai defends.

"Let's just say I'm a little skeptical about them..." Kuroda mutters bitterly as she eyes Masako and me.

"Hey, you're entitled to your own opinion," I answer as I match her gaze, "But if you keep lying, it will come back at you."

Kuroda instantly bristles at the comment. "I'm not lying! How do we even know you haven't been lying this whole time?!"

At her words, I slam my hand against the wooden door, cracking it as the sound of snapping wood fill the room. "You think I'm lying? Good for you. You earn a prize." I add with a sickening sweetness. "But hearing you right now makes me sick. If you want to make your act more realistic, I suggest doing research on how mediums react to spirits. You might learn something."

"Why you-" Kuroda starts as her form trembles.

"It's common for female mediums to be either exactly right or way off base. Even if they can't sense any spirits now doesn't mean the haunting isn't active; if what you said is true then the spirit that inhabits this place could be very in tune with your wavelength." Naru interrupts, causing Kuroda's eyes to soften.

"Yeah… that's it."

*Sigh*

'That's the biggest crap I've ever heard from him. But then again, he must have a reason for saying that…' I thought absently before glancing over to the monitors. 'I just need to get access to those monitors to see if the footage had been tampered with.' I glance over at Naru to see him watching the monitors. 'Doesn't look like Naru will give me a chance to do that. He's already protective of his equipment, but maybe when Ayako is performing her cleansing…'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**FILE 1:**

**Evil Spirits all over? - Part 2**

-Time skip: First floor-

"I stand here today to beseech the gods. I call upon them to descend from the heavens and join us where no Gods dwell to end this ceaseless suffering." Ayako chants as she waves her paper charm back and forth. Before her was a small shrine with offerings. The principal and vice principal stood behind her with their heads bowed whereas the rest of us stood in the hallway.

"Seems like it's about that time…" I whisper, only catching Kaz's attention. Kaz peers down at me before switching his gaze back to the scene. He slightly grasps my hand before pulling away, leaving me with a USB with an extendable chord.

"I suggest you get some air to clear your head." Kaz adds, "I'll let you know how this goes."

I send him a nod before heading towards the open door. When I was sure the others weren't looking, I slowly crept up the stairs to the base.

'I only have a short amount of time to do this…' I bring up the video on the screen before plugging in the USB. Once the file is copied, I quickly stuff the USB in one of my pockets before pulling out the videos of me climbing up the stairs moments ago. 'Time to corrupt the data.'

After several keystrokes, the video of me is deleted and locked, but seeing as how several minutes of footage couldn't suddenly disappear without causing suspicion, I choose one of the stored scenes of the empty corridors to fill in the time gap. Once the video is connected seamlessly, I set the cameras near the entrance of the stairs and the hallway to loop for several minutes to allow me enough time to slip out of the room unnoticed.

"That should do it." I mutter to myself before noticing a chair moving in one of the monitors. "What…" The chair continues to rigidly slide across the floor before stopping. 'That wasn't done through normal means… maybe if I can pull up a thermal image of it…' I trail off before switching the image to see it covered in blue; no hot spots. 'No hot spots… interesting.' Knowing I only had a minute before the video jamming wore off, I set the monitors back to their original settings before heading down the stairs to exit the building to find two paramedics loading the principal and vice principal into an ambulance.

'No… not again.' I take a step back as I wrap my arms around me. 'I knew… but I still did nothing to stop it…' I clench my eyes shut. 'It's not your place. It's not your obligation…' I repeat to myself, but I knew it was a lie. If I really did feel that way, then I wouldn't be here to begin with.

"Hey you alright? You look shaken up." I turn around to see Housho looking down in me in mild concern. I try to form words, but the air chokes me, suffocates me.

_[Masako. Rotting wood. A cry. A fall. Pain. Sirens.] _

My vision returns to normal as I see a hand waving in front of my face. I slightly shake my head before hastily stepping away from him.

"Gomen ne… just lost in thought."

"Nari? Where have you been?"

I turn to my left to see Mai, Naru, John, and Kaz looking at me.

"Just had to get some air Mai. Kuroda's lies were giving me a headache." I answer, shaking my head at the group before me before locking eyes on Kaz to give him a small smile. He gets the cue and sends me a smile back.

"Why do you say that?"

I glance over at Mai before shrugging my shoulders. "You can call it a hunch." I answer simply, not wanting to give any more information on the matter. With that, we all head back to the base to hear Kuroda and Masako's voice.

"There are no spirits here." I hear Masako confirm.

"There were! Something attacked me." Kuroda's voice carries over to the hallway.

'Looks like she's at it again.'

"I wouldn't be so sure of that Kuroda." I speak up when I enter the room, causing Kuroda to send her glare my way.

"And how would you know that? You have no idea what it's like for me! You have no idea what's it's like to be attacked by a spirit let alone sense them. It's driving me insane."

'No idea huh…'

"You can say whatever you want; you're entitled to you own opinion," I wave off before locking onto her eyes, "but I promise you this. If you end up harming anyone else, be it through conscious or unconscious means, I will not hold back."

"Is that a threat?"

"Girls, settle down." Ayako interrupts, trying to calm the situation down.

A smile creeps onto my face. "A vow."

"Alright settle down you two." Ayako sighs out as she places her hands on her hips. "I swear, kids these days."

'Like you're one to talk…'

"Looks like Ayako's exorcism failed." Housho remarks, earning him a glare. "Look, Kuroda said she was almost killed by something here and the principal and the vice principal are on their way to the hospital. I think that says enough."

"Well this could all be a coincidence," John interjects.

"It's possible," Kaz agrees as he places a hand on his chin, "The windows breaking could be attributed to a normal cause, not necessarily a spirit. Some natural occurrences can weaken building structures and produce results that appear to be supernatural in nature but are not."

"Or the spirits here are too strong for Ayako to drive out." Housho pipes up, earning a smile from Kaz.

"Well, that too." Housho blinks for several moments before patting Kaz on the back.

"You know what, you're not half bad."

"If we go with Takigawa-san's idea," Naru adds as he crosses his arms, "There would be more conclusive readings on my equipment."

At Naru's idea, Mai looks over at the monitors before sighing. Her eyes flick between the monitors before focusing on the one with the chair.

"Something wrong Mai?" I ask, earning everyone's attention.

"There wasn't a chair in the middle of the classroom before."

Naru glances over at the screen. "It's the east classroom on the second floor."

"Yeah… when Nari and I set up the cameras yesterday, it wasn't there. I'm positive."

Naru nods before facing the others, "Did anyone go into that classroom today?"

Choruses of 'no' envelope the room before Naru fiddles with the monitor controls to play back the video with audio.

'_Well then, we should at least have lunch somewhere.' The principal suggests._

_*Bang*Crack*_

"_Watch out!" Kaz's voice warns them. _

"_Ahh!" Ayako screams. _

_*thump*thump* _

_The chair rigidly slides across the floor before stopping in the middle of the room. _

Shock spreads across the faces of everyone in the room excluding Kuroda and me.

"What does this mean…" Mai trails off uncertainly.

"Looks to me to be a poltergeist." Kuroda interjects, earning everyone's attention.

"Only in appearance…" I trail add, earning curious looks.

"Care to explain?" Naru asks, causing me to match his gaze.

'Hmm… I could outright tell him, but the chances of him believing me are slim. I don't carry any weight in my words… Kaz on the other hand already knows my views on this. He's figured out most of this, since he's seen a similar scenario to this in one of our past cases. I just need tangible evidence.'

"There's nothing here. What you saw in the video doesn't match the description of a poltergeist."

"Wait… what's a poltergeist?" Mai asks, earning a response from Kuroda.

"It's a German word dating back four centuries meaning 'loud spirit' or 'noisy ghost'."

"To put it simply, it can move or influence objects as well as make noise." Kaz clarifies.

"You two are correct; however, I agree with Nari. I don't think that's what we're dealing with. Quite often, objects in contact with poltergeists will feel warm to the touch. If we look at our thermograph image," Naru trails off as he switches the image over to show it covered in a blue hue, "you will see that the chair is not radiating heat."

"Don't forget Tzanne's criteria." John adds.

"Tzanne?" Mai repeats.

"He was the first to classify poltergeists." Naru explains.

"Flying objects, doors closing by themselves…" I trail off before Naru continues.

"Fires, strange noises, knocking, and so on. There are nine different criteria and so far we've seen a number of them – doors closing on their own, inanimate objects moving, glass breaking, and knocking if what Nari heard yesterday was indeed true."

"So we have 3, 4 if what I heard was really knocking." I summarized, earning a calculating look from Naru before he nods.

"But what about Kuroda being attacked?" Mai wonders.

"I'm afraid that was just her imagination." Masako explains.

"Stop playing games with me! Why can't you admit that this place is haunted?!" Kuroda rebukes as Masako leaves the room. When she reaches the doorway, she stops and looks at Kuroda.

"Alright. I will try once more. I will sense them if there are any spirits here."

"I'll coming with you." I mutter before following after her, earning a 'really?' look from Mai.

I roll my eyes before following after her.

"It's not necessary for you to follow me." Masako states bluntly as we enter a classroom.

"I know. I just wanted to get away from Kuroda." I answer honestly as I glance around the classroom. 'That and I won't let you get hurt… not if I can help it.'

I run my hand against the walls, noticing the weakening of the wood from the cracks along the wood's surface. 'Still nothing.'

"I see. Her claims can become aggravating after some time."

"I'm surprised you can put up with her lies. She's not really a medium, merely someone looking for attention."

"I gathered as much." Masako calls back as she walks to the front of the classroom.

"Are you a medium of some sort? You seem to be a bit more knowledgeable than the average person on the things we have discussed. I find it unusual." She pauses for a moment to watch my response.

I merely shrug, "When your brother is an exorcist, you tend to pick up some things."

Masako stares at me skeptically before finally nodding and resuming her search around the classroom. It was obvious she believed there was more to it than that, but chose not to delve into it any deeper for the moment. I follow closely behind Masako as she continues to look around the room. She places her hand against one of the walls before the wood splinters against the weight and gives. A cry of surprise escapes her lips as she falls out of the building.

"Masako!" I grasp her wrist, stopping her descent to the ground below.

"Nari!" Masako cries out frantically. The wooden floor below me groans under the extra weight and continues to splinter, causing one of my legs to fall through the wooden flooring.

"Damn…" I mutter as I feel the wood digging into my skin. I glance down at Masako who stares up at me with frightened eyes. "Hold on. I'll pull you up." The floor continues to groan and crack as I slowly pull Masako up before it finally breaks away from the rest of the floor, sending me through the hole in the wall with Masako in tow. The wood trapping my leg releases me as Masako and I descend towards the ground.

A cry escapes her before I grab her and turn to allow my back to take the brunt of the fall. As the wooden pieces fly past us, I position myself so that one of the planks rested against my back. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on slowing down our fall before I feel my back slamming into the ground – knocking the breath of my lungs. I release a groan before glancing over to see Masako slowly sitting up.

"Nari?" She hesitantly calls out before a gasp escapes her lips. "Your leg's bleeding."

Shaking my head, I slowly sit up to see my cargo pants stained with patches of red. I make a move to stand, only to feel Masako gently pushing me back down.

"You just fell from the second story. You're in no shape to be moving." I notice the slight worry in her eyes as she covers her mouth with the sleeve of the kimono. I couldn't help but smile.

"You're not hurt." She looks at me curiously. "I'm glad…"

"You're strange." She deadpans before releasing a sigh, "But I suppose I should thank you. So thank you." She uncovers her mouth and sends me a soft smile.

"Nari!" I turn my head to see everyone else rushing over to me with Kaz leading. He quickly drops to his knees before softly cradling my upper body to hug me. The soothing hum of energy spreads through me, causing me to close my eyes in bliss.

"You used it…didn't you?" He whispers softly in my ear.

"Yeah… I'm fine." I answer loud enough for the others to hear, but Kaz understood the message.

"What happened to you two?" Naru questions, causing Kaz to release me from the hug.

"I was being careless." Masako answers, "I was leaning on one of the walls when it suddenly gave out. Nari ended up falling with me when she tried to pull me back up. She took the brunt of the fall."

"I see…" Naru trails off in thought before he glances down at the patch of blood on my pants. "How did that happen?"

I glance over at Naru. "The floor gave away when I tried to pull Masako up. It apparently found my leg a tasty snack." I answer simply before standing up, despite the other's protests.

"Oi you just fell out of the second floor; you shouldn't be moving around." Housho reprimands.

I apply pressure on my leg and feel a jolt of pain, causing me to stagger back into Kaz.

"Doesn't look that bad to me." I mutter as I eye the growing crimson patches on my pants. Looks of disbelief are sent my way.

"Look, just stay still until the ambulance arrives." Ayako adds with her arms crossed.

Rolling my eyes, I sit down before pulling up the pants sleeve with a slight wince, showing the others several deep lacerations with shards of wood embedded in them.

*Whistles* "Looks like it really did a number on you." Housho comments. "I think you might need stitches for them."

I simply wave the comment away. "I've had worse; I've always been a trouble magnet. But I think you're right about the stitches though…" I grimace at the thought.

Kaz merely shakes his head. "Trust her on that… I've paid her hospital bills; I know."

"So you've been in the hospital frequently?" Mai questions.

I answer with a shrug before glancing over at Kuroda to see a blank expression on her face, but the slight upturn of her lips causes me to narrow my eyes. 'She's actually happy with the situation…interesting.'

"Masako, did you sense anything?" Naru changes the conversation, although he continued to look at the lacerations on my leg.

"It's as I said before. There are no spirits here."

"We can't deny it anymore… there's definitely a force here." Ayako shoots out before she casts a glance at me.

"Oh, are you referring to the one you failed to exorcise?" Housho adds, earning himself an 'I-hate-you..!' glare.

"We're playing with fire here. An unsuccessful exorcized spirit is like a wounded bear. Look at Nari's leg and the fact that both Masako and Nari fell out of the second floor." Housho explains.

"You say it like I was almost killed or something." I interject, earning incredulous or disbelieving looks, "Sure, I fell out of a second story building, but it was all an accident. The wall wasn't reinforced very well and seeing as the room wasn't exactly brightly lit, it was an honest mistake."

"She's right. The portion of the eastern wall that had been demolished had been boarded up with weak plywood and was by no means structurally sound. As for the floor, it seems that it was weakly boarded up as well… It's not surprising that it wasn't able to support the weight of the two girls."

"But accidents keep happening here! That's why they say this place is haunted." Mai interrupts.

"Your point?" I ask, "Sure, accidents have happened but there's always been a clear reason as to why. Besides, I have a tendency to attract trouble, so getting into an accident here with all the events going on is pure coincidence."

"That's correct. There simply isn't enough readings on the equipment to prove it. There aren't any temperature fluctuations, no ionic polarization, and the EMF readings are normal. The proof just isn't there."

"But Ayako was trapped in that room and I was attacked upstairs! Something also moved the chair, broke the glass, and erased the video!" Kuroda rebukes angrily.

"Like I said, I'm still not convinced."

"And like I said, there's nothing here. Not without its source anyway." I add.

"You've been mentioning that a lot. What do you mean?" Mai questions, earning nods from several of the others.

"Well, there's generally two sources of paranormal activity." I explain as I hold out two fingers before putting one down, "One, an independent spirit… textbook case, actually, which includes what John, Ayako, and Housho have mentioned." I then hold up two fingers, "Or case two which involves a more …interesting source. It's actually pretty common, but I'll leave the rest up to you all. I'm pretty sure Naru and Kaz know what I'm talking about though."

*Sirens*

The color drains from my face before I cast a glance back to see the ambulance pulling up. I make a move to run, but feel Kaz wrapping his arms around my torso and walking me to the ambulance.

"Oh no you don't. You're going and that's final. I don't care if you're afraid of ambulances."

"I'm not afraid of them." I huff out, "Besides, you're not supposed to manhandle someone who just fell out of the second floor."

"You seem fine for someone who did…" He grumbles.

"Ugh! Let go damn it!" I cry out before he tosses me into the back of the van. The two paramedics look on with shocked faces before he slams the door.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**(First person perspective - Kazama)**

Dusting my hands and adjusting my tie, I watch the ambulance drive away with Nari's loud protests escaping from the van. Chuckling, I turn around to see the others giving me incredulous looks.

"What…" Mai starts as she stares blankly at where the ambulance once stood.

"Nari detests hospitals with a passion, so all of that was necessary. If I had not been watching her, we would have spent hours trying to locate her, or rather chase her around." I respond evenly, allowing a smile to creep along my face. "Seeing as she was still able to fight me off, I would say she sustained very minimal damage from that fall, so please do not worry for her."

"I think we should be worried for the paramedics…" Ayako trails off.

"Precisely."

"Anyway…" Housho shakes his head in disbelief at what he had seen, "Maybe we're dealing with a highly intelligent spirit that knows how to hide from the machines."

"What do you think monk?" Naru asks Housho.

"I still believe it is a residual haunting."

"And you John?" Naru glances over.

"Well, I'm not sure, but I do agree that it is quite dangerous here."

"Kaz?"

"Well…Both Masako and Nari are convinced there's nothing here. I believe there could be some natural occurrence causing these disturbances; however, there does seem to be more…"

Naru nods before glancing over at the small pool of blood left behind from Nari's injuries. 'He's taken an interest in Nari… this could be troublesome later on.' I thought as I slightly narrow my eyes. 'If what Gene said is true, he has a large pool of information he can use if he wants to know more about Nari… and her abilities. Luckily her appearance has changed enough not to immediately link her with her past persona and we've used aliases.'

"Now tell us what you're thinking." Housho asks, drawing Naru's attention back.

"I'll withhold my opinion; I would like to investigate this from a slightly different angle." With that, he leaves to enter the building once more. The others trail behind him, but I fall back as I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket.

"Kaz-san?" I turn to the source of the voice to see Masako looking at me curiously.

"Just Kaz." I correct her. "I need to take this call, so I will be back shortly." She nods before leaving.

Glancing down at the caller ID, I see Nari's name flash across the screen.

"Nari?" I call out once I place the phone against my ear.

"Looks like I'll be getting stitches." She remarks easily over the phone. "Apparently you've already signed the paperwork?"

"I always leave a stored amount of signed forms at the hospital on the off chance something should happen." I respond evenly before allowing my voice to become serious. "It appears Naru is starting to catch onto the hints you've left behind. I believe you could have been more subtle; however, subtly has never been your strong suit."

Nari's soft laughter travels through the phone, causing a small smile to creep onto my face.

"I know. Anyway, I should be out of here in a few hours, but apparently I need crutches."

*sigh* "You're not going to use them, are you?"

"If I can help it. Anyway, as much as I want to come back to the base, it would probably be too dark by the time I come back. Make sure to bring back anything you want me to…analyze alright?"

"Of course. I believe we will be maintaining the same roles as our initial personas?"

"Unfortunately so." Nari sighs out before a choking sound travels to my ears.

"Nari?!"

"Ugh… these visions are getting more and more frequent… Be careful in that building Kaz. The structure's slowly collapsing. At the rate that it's going, if Naru doesn't finish this case soon, entire portions of that building could go in a couple days. And… watch out for John… the ceiling might collapse on him… but I saw Mai so she might have saved him."

"I see." I reply evenly. "Stay out of trouble for the moment, Nari. I'll talk to you later."

"Kaz!"

With that, I shut the phone with a small smile. Nari always had a certain charm about her that made me smile despite everything. I suppose that was the main reason I grew so protective of her, but now wasn't the time to reminisce. When I reach the base, I hear John's voice coming from the monitors.

'_Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.' _

"Is that water?" Mai questions as she looks closely at the screen. I come behind her and look too.

"That's holy water." I answer, causing Mai to suddenly jump back. I stare down at her curiously, noticing bit of red dusting her face.

_John opens up the Bible and glances down at it._

'_In the beginning there was a word and the word was with God, and it was God.'_

"Are you alright?" I ask, confused at her behavior. She shakily nods before glancing over at the screens once again. I merely shake my head at her strange behavior before listening in once again.

_*crack*_

_John stops for a moment and glances around. _

"What…?" Mai trails off.

"More strange noises." Kuroda inputs.

"Wait... turn up the volume." Housho adds.

Mai obliges and does just that.

'_It was with God *crackling* All things were made through him *snap* and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him is light. And that light is the light of all men.'_

'The cracking noises are continuing to grow…is this leading up to the event Nari warned me about…'

'_The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was with God and his name was John.' _

I narrow my eyes when I see the image of the ceiling morphing as if something was pushing down on it. Mai moves closer to the screen as well, eying the shifting ceiling.

'_He came as a testimony that through Him all things might belie-'_

"Look at the ceiling!" I shout out, earning a startled gasp from Mai before she bolts out of the room.

'Looks like Nari was right again. She's getting stronger…'

"Hey, where are you going?" Housho shouts after her, but she was already too far away.

"She's trying to prevent the ceiling from collapsing on John." I answer simply.

"What?!" The others crowd around the monitors to see the shifting image of the ceiling right above John.

_Mai flings open the door. _

"_Look out!" _

_John looks startled and faces Mai. "Mai?" _

"_Move! The ceiling's falling!" _

_As the words register, he glances up to the ceiling. _

_*snap*crack* The ceiling falls and the sight of John is blocked by the debris. _

"_John!" _

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

We all gathered in the classroom where the incident occurred. Seeing as it was already night time, we had to use flashlights to inspect the area.

"I can't believe this…" Housho mutters in disbelief as he flashes his flashlight at the scattered debris.

"If Mai hadn't acted so quickly I could have easily been injured or killed." John states, adding to the tense atmosphere of the room.

"Actually, it was Kaz that noticed it first." Mai corrects.

"Then I would like to thank you both."

Mai beams at the gesture whereas I send him a tiny smile.

"In the interest of safety, I think we should call it a night. Mai, you're dismissed." Naru looks up at the ceiling in thought.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, I'll be leaving too. I need to get some sleep." Ayako states.

"Meaning, you're scared. Just admit it." Housho adds with a smile.

Ayako sends a glare his way before huffing and walking away with her hands on her hips. Housho chuckles before following after her.

"Seeing as I nearly lost my head a minute ago, I think I'll take your advice and retire for the evening." With that, John too leaves the room. Naru doesn't acknowledge this and merely flashes his flashlight at the gaping hole in the ceiling, scrutinizing it for any possible clues.

"Naru, are you leaving?" Mai asks, looking over at Naru's back.

"Not yet. There's something I need to check out."

"But what if the roof caves in again?"

Worry laced her words, but Naru ignores it as he looks at the piece of wood in his hand with a concentrated expression. Shaking her head, Mai turns her attention to me.

"What about you Kaz? Shouldn't you go to the hospital to check on Nari?"

I slightly tighten my grip on my flashlight before glancing over at her. "To be completely honest. No."

"Eh? But isn't she your family? Aren't you worried for her?"

The frantic expression on her face causes my smile to widen. If only she knew. Still, I had to keep up appearances.

"She can take care of herself. If I come home late, she would understand. Besides, she understands the obligations I have to carry out and her obligations as well. I just follow her wishes."

"What…" Mai trails off, a look of anger slowly overtaking her features. "So you would just leave her by herself after everything that's happened today? Don't you care about her?"

I close my eyes in thought before glancing over quickly to see Naru glancing over with his hand holding the piece of wood tighter than necessary.

'Interesting…'

"Of course I do. But as you have all seen, Nari can take care of herself. She refuses to be fussed over and I happily oblige to her wishes."

"Oh…" Mai trails off uncertainly before sighing out. "Ok…I guess I'll be going then." With that, Mai leaves the building, leaving Naru, Kuroda, Masako, and I.

I glance over at Kuroda to see her gazing at Naru for a moment before following after Mai.

'There's something off about her…' I trail off in thought before glancing up at the ceiling.

"Kaz." I turn to face Masako as she steps up towards me.

"I would like to apologize for Nari's admittance to the hospital. It was due to my carelessness." She bows before facing me with a blank expression although hints of remorse decorated her face.

"Don't worry about it. Nari's track record is filled with hospital visits. Besides," I smile down at her, "Nari chose to help you. She's the type to help others despite…the consequences."

"I see." Masako answers with a slight smile. "I do find her odd, but she's not unbearable."

I slightly shake my head at the girl before me.

"And Kaz?" I match my gaze with her. "Have we met before? You look familiar." I blink several times before allowing an amused smile to enter my face.

"I don't recall ever meeting you. I'm sure you are mistaken."

"I see…" She trails off skeptically before looking over at Naru. "I won't be able to help you further in this investigation."

"Is that so?" Naru replies evenly.

Masako nods. "There's something I need to look into."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

~Saitou Household~

**(First person perspective - Nari)**

I glance at the computer screen before me with a slight frown as I watch the 'spirit-tampered' video of Kuroda walking down the hall before static takes over. 'There isn't anything significant with the footage. Just Kuroda walking up the stairs and then static…' I thought to myself as I release a small yawn. 'Now let's see if I can find if this has been tampered with through normal means…' The clicking of the keys fills the room as I pull up several screens filled with streaming codes.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

Not taking my hands off the keys, I spare a glance behind me to see Gene looking at me in concern. I flash him a small smile before turning my eyes back to the screen.

"I should be saying that to you as well." I reply, still typing away on my laptop. He doesn't respond for a moment, allowing the clicking of the keys to fill the room. I hear the rustling of clothes, but it soon disappears, letting me know he left the room. A small frown enters my face at his abrupt departure. He would usually try to get me to bed before giving up and staying up with me. Lost in my thoughts, I don't notice the cup of tea placed next to my keyboard until a hand rests on my shoulder. A small spark travels through me, causing me to halt my typing as I glance back to see Gene smiling down at me.

"Thought you would like some after the day you had. Kaz told me what happened before heading to bed." He answers my unspoken question with a smile before retracting his hand and taking a seat on the couch next to the monitor. "How's your leg doing?"

"It could be better; I had to get several stitches for each of the cuts and the pieces of wood taken out. I suppose that part was the worst. I need to keep the stitches for about two weeks and make sure they don't get wet. Basic treatment protocol." I answer with a shrug. A frown appears on his face for a moment before he glances over at the monitors.

"Never would have thought you would be into computers." He comments off handedly, causing a small smile to appear on my face as I take a sip of the tea.

"Not just computers… anything electrical really…" I answer, enjoying the warm liquid traveling down my throat. "When I used to take cases, it was always Ayumu and Kaz who went out and did all the sensing, exorcism, almost all the first hand stuff… I was always the one who monitored everything so I had to learn how these things worked and how to repair them if someone decided to tamper or break them. I remember Ayumu would purposely break them so I would get more practice, but honestly, I think he only did that to keep me busy so I wouldn't go with them. They always babied me; I guess it was just their way of showing they cared." I explain with a sad smile.

"You seem really fond of those two." Gene comments, earning a nod from me.

"Yeah… all three of us were inseparable. It made sense, since our parents were off researching most of the time. All we had was each other. Guess it's no surprise all of us ended up taking an interest in their research as well, "I answer off handedly before taking another sip of the tea.

"Hm. I can't really see you sitting behind a computer screen all day; you seem more like a hands-on type of person." Gene comments, causing me to release a small laugh.

"You're right. I don't really like being cooped up in one place for too long, but Ayumu and Kaz were really adamant on me staying as far away from the action as possible. Eventually, they learned that it's better to just let me do what I want." I answer with a mischievous grin.

"Why do I get the feeling you did something uncalled for?" Gene asks with a laugh as he rests his chin on his arms.

"Because you know me." I answer with a wink, earning myself a smile in response.

"Are you going to be staying home more often now, considering your leg?"

I purse my lips at the thought before releasing a sigh. "That would probably be the best thing, but I need to solve this case before we overstep the time limit." I widen my eyes at the words that escaped my lips before face palming. "Ugh… I'm doing it again. I'm not taking the case… just assisting."

"I haven't seen you this lively since the last case you took. There's nothing wrong with wanting to solve a case."

I glance over at Gene with a soft smile. "I know, but I'm a liability on cases."

Silence dominates the room as I watch the codes streaming across the screen. Some numbers flash red for a moment before changing back to their normal black. 'The tape was tampered with.'

"I don't believe you would be a liability. You just have a tendency to be…accident prone."

I release an unladylike snort.

Finally the video replays itself, showing Kuroda walking down the hallway without any signs of being attacked.

"You did all that just to see someone walk down a hallway?" Gene questions skeptically.

"Guess so. Any chance of Naru finding out I hacked his equipment?"

"If he was really set on it, possibly, but programming isn't really his strength."

Cracking my back, I stretch my arms above my head before facing Gene once again. "I see… well I think we should head to bed… it's pretty late." He agrees. Both of us get up at the same time, accidentally knocking our foreheads together. I release a small cry of pain and stumble back only to slip on one of the stray papers on the ground. Gene notices and grabs my arm but I had already grabbed him. The unexpected pull knocks him over and we both fall to the ground with a crash.

"Ow…" I mumble before attempting to move, only to find something holding me back. Confused, I glance down to see an arm wrapped securely around my waist. My eyes travel up the arm to see Gene's slightly pained expression. He slowly opens his eyes and sends me an amused smile, "Never thought I could get a girl to fall for me that quickly." He jokes, causing me to roll my eyes as I give him a smile.

"Har har… very funny." I make a move to sit up, but still feel his arm securely wrapped around me. "Gene…" I trail off uncertainly, but he merely smiles back at me. Jolts spread through my body at the contact, but it seems he paid no mind. His free hand tucks the stray bangs framing my face behind my ear.

'Why is he acting so weird…'

Before I could say anything else, Gene releases his hold and stands up, holding out his hand for me to take. Shaking my head to get rid of my thoughts, I grasp his hand, feeling the usual jolt from the contact when he pulls me up to my feet. He sends me a calculating look.

"You're similar to Naru." Gene concludes, causing me to send him a disbelieving look.

"You're comparing me to your narcissistic brother? Gomen ne…but I don't find your comparison to be very flattering." I comment with a grimace. He merely smiles back before draping one of my arms over his shoulders to help me limp to my bedroom.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**SUNDAY **

Releasing a sigh, I continue hopping over to the old school building using the pair of crutches Kaz so kindly forced me into using. He wouldn't let me out of the car unless I took the damn things. Once I complied, he told me to head over to meet up with Naru while he went to check up on something. I glance down at my leg in distaste, knowing that any excessive use of the leg could possibly break the stitches. When I approach the van, I see Mai talking to Naru.

"Morning? It's past eleven already." Mai corrects with a slight frown before noticing my approach. "Nari? Shouldn't you be resting or something?"

I stare blankly at her for a moment before allowing a smile to reach my face. "I would, but I have obligations I have to fulfill. Besides, I don't like staying cooped up."

Mai's face slightly falls at my comment, causing me to send her a confused look.

"Is something the matter Mai? If this is about my fall yesterday, don't worry about it. I was bound to go to the hospital again anyway. That's just how things go for me."

Her face seems to have grown more concerned by my comment, causing me to release a sigh.

"Look, don't sweat it Mai. It's just a minor setback. I'll be fine in two weeks. At least you didn't send me to the hospital like we did Naru's assistant."

"Nari!" Mai scolds before a small smile escapes her lips. Naru didn't seem to be amused by my statement. He kept glancing at the bandaging on my leg.

"If you're worried about it interfering with work, I'll just not use my crutches. I can technically walk. The crutches are just a precaution."

Before Naru can comment, Housho voice calls out to us.

"Good morning everyone!" We glance over to see Housho, John, Ayako, and Kaz. "Looks like someone had a rough night."

"Looks to me," Ayako crosses her arms over her chest, "like someone's trying to leave early."

"That's right." Naru takes his jacket off and places it back in the car before pulling something out on his laptop.

"So you're finally admitting that your expert opinion was wrong?" Ayako places her hands on her hips.

"No, I'm leaving because I already solved the case."

"Huh?" Mai gawks.

"You exorcised that whole place on your own?" Housho asks surprised.

"No I didn't do that. There was no need to."

"What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean?" Mai rephrases Housho's question.

"Last night I took some readings and compiled them together." He turns his laptop to face us. "This is a seismograph. Based on my readings, the school house is sinking. In fact, it sank point two inches last night."

"It what?" Housho asks in disbelief.

"It's called subsidence." Naru explains.

"It's essentially the sinking down of land as a result of natural shifts or human activity, usually causing structural damage to buildings who were unfortunately built on or close to the area. If you think about the structural failures we have seen, it does make sense." Kaz adds.

"Correct." Naru pulls up a map of the area on his laptop. "This entire area is built on reclaimed swamp land. When I looked into the wells surrounding the area, I discovered a huge aquifer passing underneath the school house; however, when I looked at the wells in the immediate area, they were all dried up."

"Meaning?" Mai asks.

"Since the wells are dried up, there's a hollowing effect going on underneath the school house, causing it to sink. Entire portions of the building could collapse any day now. I'd go as far as to guess three to five days max." I explain as I glance up at the school house.

"Exactly." Naru comments evenly, though looking at me with an unreadable expression.

"So you're saying that, the chair moving, the glass breaking, and the ceiling collapsing are all due to subsidence?" Housho clarifies.

"Yes. The classroom on the east side, where the roof collapsed, was three inches below the west side." Naru explains.

"Three inches?" Mai repeats in thought.

"Sounds like a structural failure then." Housho concludes, catching Ayako's gaze.

"By what about the strange noises?" Ayako adds skeptically.

"It could be attributed to the wood shifting in response to the subsidence." Kaz explains.

"I think it would be best to declare this building off limits." Naru announces before closing his laptop shut. "As Nari said, this building could collapse any day now."

-Time skip-

Mai, Kaz, and I help Naru pack up his equipment into boxes. Seeing as I was being treated like an invalid, I was seated and loading the cords into the box resting on the nearby table.

"I knew it! You can't explain what attacked me, can you?" Kuroda's voice breaks through the silence of the room.

I glance over at Kuroda. "He can't prove something that never happened." I respond, earning myself a glare.

"Perhaps it's the work of a floating Spector that's been following you around." Naru responds as he locks eyes with Kuroda before putting away a cord.

"Listen to me. I'm not making this up!"

"Kuroda, I suggest you drop it. There's nothing here. If you persist, I'll keep to my promise." I warn as I place another cord into the box.

"Naru? Are you really leaving?" Mai interrupts.

"Yes. This case is solved."

_[Shattering glass. A scream.] _

As the vision ends, I shake my head to clear away the images. That wasn't a good sign.

"Right… I guess it is…" Mai mutters uncertainly as she plays with her hair.

"Only partly solved." I mutter, catching Naru's attention.

"Excuse me?"

'Crap… I said that out loud…'

I glance over to see Naru looking at me with an unreadable expression.

"Explain." He crosses his arms over his chest as he locks his eyes with mine.

I run my hand through my hair before releasing a sigh. 'Me and my big mouth.' I glance over to Kaz to see him holding a smug smile. 'Jerk…'

Before I could answer, Kuroda interrupts.

"There's a spirit here. I know it."

Naru narrows his eyes at her. "You're wrong. I have scientific evidence to back up my claim."

"Have you ever considered the spirit avoiding your technology?"

"Then exorcise it yourself. That should be easy for someone with your skill." Naru states simply before walking across to room for one of his control panels. "I feel that my work here is done, so I'm leaving." Naru places the device into the box. "End of story."

"Well I guess my dream's over now…" Mai trails off as she fiddles with her hands. Naru turns to her. "Here we are in a building so creepy that you would just assume it's haunted. Not to mention all the ghost stories I heard about it… It's kind of romantic in a way. Now I don't like the idea of people dying here, but that gave this place a sense of mystery and fun…"

"I know what you mean Mai. Despite this place not having an independent spirit… the situation… the mystery surrounding this place… it's fun and interesting. I really miss it…" I add with a smile.

"I see. That may be so-"

Before Naru could finish, a crack is heard. We all look up to see the windows cracking before they shatter and fly forward.

"Ahh!" Kuroda crouches downward, using her back and arms to shield her face from the glass shards.

"Kuroda-san!" Mai calls out. Kuroda lowers her hands before covering her ears when banging noises fill the room.

"What's going on?" Ayako asks as she glances around the room.

"It's definitely more than a building sinking!" Housho calls out above the noise.

"Banging sounds! That's another one of Tzanne's criteria!" John adds.

"Naru!" Mai calls out to him to see him staring at the window dumbfounded.

"Naru?" Mai repeats, snapping him back to reality.

*whoosh*bang*bang*

We all turn to the sliding doors and see them sporadically moving back and forth, clearly blocking our exit.

"It's not safe to be here anymore." Housho announces.

Naru's eyes widen. "That's it. Everyone out now!"

Housho throws a chair through the sliding doors before calling us to follow. I make a move to run but wince when I feel the stitches straining against the sewed together skin.

"Nari!" Mai calls out before both Kaz and her rush over.

"Just go Mai. I'll take care of Nari." Kaz orders her. She seems reluctant, but agrees nevertheless before running through the door. "Alright hime. You're going to have to bear with this for a while." He mutters with a smirk. Before I could ask him what he meant, I feel him carrying me in his arms before running out of the building.

I wrap my arms around his neck, holding on tight as he skips several steps as he runs down the stairs. "I'm so going to get you for this." I growl out, but he merely laughs. 'He's enjoying this too much… he knows I hate being carried.'

"If you say so… hime."

'Again with that damn nickname…'

"Don't call me that…"

We safely exit the building and see everyone safe. I release a small sigh before unwrapping my arms around Kaz's neck and resting them on my lap. The familiar hum of energy flows through me, causing me to release a small smile before it disappears once I set my eyes on Kuroda. 'Looks like I can't hold back anymore…'

"Are you alright Kuroda-san? You're bleeding. Hold out your hand." Ayako asks gently before inspecting the cut on Kuroda's hand. "You'll be fine. The wound isn't too deep."

Mai looks at Kuroda sadly whereas Housho continues to glare at Naru.

"What was that just now?" Housho growls out. "Don't feed me that crap from before. That was a full blown poltergeist, wasn't it?!"

Naru doesn't answer; he merely stares up at the old school building.

"That wasn't the sound of a creaky old building; there was definitely something banging on the walls!" Ayako adds as she wraps Kuroda's hand with a cloth.

"That means we witnessed four of the nine criteria laid out by Tzanne." John breaks in.

"That just goes to show you that you can't depend too much on technology. For a minute there I was about to believe you and your phony results!" Ayako snips.

"The results aren't false! He's only solved half of the issue here! That's more than what you two have done." I growl out.

"Stay out of this! You don't even know what you're talking about." Ayako huffs.

"For once, I have to agree with her." Housho adds. "How long have you even been in this business kid? Look, we're professionals so sit back and watch how it's really done."

"I suggest you two refrain from making any more comments." Kaz's cold tone interrupts them. "As a word of caution, don't mindlessly speak without knowing the full details behind the events or behind the individual." The two look at Kaz in surprise at his shift in tone before huffing and walking back to the school.

"You didn't need to say that Kaz." I mutter, not looking at his eyes.

"I know, but their expressions made it worth the trouble."

I merely shake my head at him before glancing at Naru.

"What's with them? Now those two get along?" Mai mutters angrily before glancing down at Naru's hand. "Naru… your hand… it's-"

"It's nothing serious. It's just a scratch." Naru responds as he lifts his hand to show the small trails of blood running down his knuckles.

"But Naru-"

"I'll be fine. You should tend to Kuroda."

'Ouch… you're not making this easy for me Naru…'

"Naru…"

"I would appreciate it if you left me alone for a while… I'm so angry at myself I could throw up..!" He finishes harshly before walking away.

"Naru!" I call out to him, causing him to halt in his steps but not turn around. "I know my words might not carry any weight… but remember everything that was said. You're not wrong. You're just missing a part of the explanation. Look at everything again – the footage, the timing of everything basically. There's a distinct pattern and I know you're too smart not to figure this out. That and your ego and pride won't let you walk away from this. After all, your record's perfect isn't it? Wouldn't want to ruin that now right?"

Naru doesn't answer but I notice his hands loosening their tight grip before he walks away.

-Time skip-

Kaz, Mai, and I continue to put away Naru's equipment inside the base.

"You're not going to watch the monk's attempt with the rest of us?" Ayako asks as she leans against the wall.

"I decline." Kaz answers simply as he stacks some of the boxes. Mai on the other hand fumes at her words.

"Mind if I give you a hand?" John asks Mai as he holds out a cord to her. Mai smiles but waves her hands as if saying 'no'.

"Oh no, I'm just putting a few things out." Mai explains sheepishly. I smile at her before I grab Kaz's arm. He glances down at me questioningly. "I want to help Mai set up some of the equipment…" I trail off before I feel my vision fading.

_[Shattering lights. Falling shelves. A cry.] _

I blink several times before placing a hand over my eyes.

"Are you alright Nari?" I lower my hand and see John and Mai eying me in concern.

"I think I'm just a bit tired with everything that's going on." I explain with a small smile.

"Maybe you should go home and rest. I don't think you should be using that leg of yours." John suggests.

"Yeah… If something happens again…" Mai trails off uncertainly.

I wave off their concern. "It's fine. I think I'll be able to manage." They send me doubtful looks before nodding and resuming their conversation.

"Did you notice something?" Kaz asks gently as he places his hand on my shoulder.

I close my eyes, feeling the usual hum of energy.

"Yes… first floor. Near the shelves." I whisper. "I think you should set up some of the cameras and microphones again, especially the cameras that can give us a thermal image of the area."

"Alright then." Kaz gets up and reaches for some of the boxes containing the cameras.

"Are you two still buying into your boss' explanation?" Ayako questions as Housho leans against the wall dressed in his monk robes.

Mai's eyes narrow. "Do you have any evidence that he's wrong? If you do I'd love to hear it; I'm all ears over here!" Mai exclaims.

Ayako narrows her eyes before locking eyes with Mai. They hold a staring contest; neither one shows signs of backing down.

"Easy now …" John attempts to defuse the tension in the room, but having no luck.

I sweat drop at the sight. 'And she calls me a child…'

-Time skip-

I glance at the monitors showing the images of the first floor and second floor hallway. Mai had finished setting up the microphones as well, causing me to release a small smile.

'Even if he's not here, both of us are trying so hard… especially Mai. She really does believe in him despite knowing him for only a short time. I think you were onto something Gene… setting these two up might be worth all the trouble.'

I connect the last cord to the control board before adjusting the volume for the different cameras.

'That should do it…'

I release a small sigh before standing up and reaching for my crutches. I stare down at them in distaste before making my way down the hallway before stopping before the stairs.

'Hopping it is then…'

Before I could take a step down the stairs, I feel a familiar hum of energy coming from the hand on my shoulder.

"You were about to hop down the stairs… weren't you?"

I stare back evenly at Kaz. "Pretty much." I answer with a shrug. Release a sigh, he bends down to carry me in his arms, allowing the crutches to clatter to the ground.

"O-oi I can walk on my own. Put me down!" He merely smirks before walking down the stairs as I silently fume at him. At the bottom of the stairs, we see Mai leaning against the wall with a thoughtful expression.

"Something wrong Mai?" I ask, earning a surprised gasp. Her eyes flicker to me for a moment before she shakes her head.

"Nothing… I'm just wondering if Naru will come back." Mai replies. I smile in response once Kaz sets me down.

"Miss him?"

Mai's eyes snap to mine in surprise before a blush appears onto her face.

"What? No! It's nothing like that."

"You're blushing." I point out.

"I'm not!"

"It appears you are… unless you have a fever Mai." Kaz inputs, earning himself a glare from said girl.

Before Mai could respond, we hear footsteps.

"Naru?" Mai calls out, only to find Kuroda standing at the entrance.

"Oh… Hi Kuroda-san." Mai greets dejectedly.

"Any news?" She asks.

"No."

"The others are making their rounds right now." Kaz announces. Kuroda nods in response.

"And what about Kazuya?"

"I don't know where he is…" Mai sighs out sadly, "Man… are there really any spirits here?"

"Yes there are. I saw them."

I roll my eyes at the girl.

"I know you've said that…" Mai trails off uncertainly.

"Well this time is different. I'm sure of it!"

We all turn to the hallway to see Ayako crossing her arms with a confident smirk adorning her face.

Kuroda closes her eyes and places a hand on her chest. "They're still here. I can feel it. In fact, there are many still trapped here."

'Still many trapped here… if my hunch is right… then we'll be getting a nasty visit soon.' I thought before eying the corridors.

"Are you still pretending? Give it a rest. We're the professionals here."

"If I'm not mistaken, you haven't done anything." Kuroda bites back.

Before Ayako could respond, Housho appears with a smile with John in tow. "We're good now. Ayako's attempt may have been a complete failure, but mine wasn't."

"Excuse me?!" Ayako bristles.

"Well it true isn't it?"

"Don't take credit for my work!"

'Again… they call me the child…'

They close in on each other, forcing Mai, Kaz, and I to be in the middle of their little spat.

"Same to you."

"Get over yourself!"

'Ugh.. this is getting nowhere!'

"Cut it out!" Mai snaps at them, glaring at the two.

"You two are acting like children. Just shut up!" I growl out.

"Shh! I hear something…" John trails off before glancing up at the ceiling.

Everyone stops and looks up at the ceiling. The sound of footsteps echo throughout the room.

"Is someone there?" Mai voices the question all of us were thinking. We continue to listen to the footsteps, hearing them becoming distinctly louder as if they were approaching us. Suddenly, the footsteps stop atop the staircase. Without warning, Housho speeds up the steps.

"Monk!" Mai calls out to him, but he ignores it. After several more seconds, Mai calls out to him again. "Is someone there?"

"Nope. Must have imagined it." He replies.

"Really… we all just happened to 'imagine' hearing footsteps all at the same time." I clarify skeptically. "That's bull."

He doesn't say anything as he descends the steps.

"She's right! You heard it too, didn't you monk?!" Mai adds.

"It was just the wind." Ayako defends as she crosses her arms.

"Admit it! You didn't get rid of them either, did you?! After what you said to Naru, this makes you look so stupid! I don't remember him making any lame excuses, do you?!" Mai snaps back. The two share hurt looks from Mai's words.

"It's funny how the so called adults are acting like ch-" Mai pauses on her rant when banging noises fill the room.

"It's back!" John warns right before the lights in the hallway shatter one by one. As the light ahead of him shatters, John steps back to avoid the falling glass. "This is the most activity we've seen."

"And it sounds like more than one…It's not safe here!" Housho warns. "Get out!"

"R-right." Mai agrees before facing Kuroda. "Kuroda-san." She nods before following Mai out of the building.

"Nari! Hold on alright?" Kaz growls before lifting me into his arms and making a break for the exit behind everyone else. As we pass the shelves, they start shaking before clattering towards the ground. Mai continues to run but a shelf makes its way towards her.

"Mai, look out!" I shout at her. She turns around and her eyes widen in disbelief at the shelf quickly approaching her.

"Kaz!" I shout at him, hoping he would understand and he nods. The shelf leans on Mai as she holds her hands out in a last ditch effort to stop the shelf's decent. Her body falls downward, but the shelf's descent slows before stopping right before making contact with Mai's person. Housho and John rush over to the shelf and lift it up before grabbing Mai's unconscious body and bolting towards the door.

"Don't worry Nari… she'll be fine." Kaz whispers, which I nod in response.

"Do you think they noticed how slow that shelf was falling? Or how it wasn't crushing Mai?"

"I doubt it. Even if they did… they have no way of connection it back to you."

I manage a weak smile. "Alright…"

* * *

**AN: Ok that's the second chapter. Since I didn't put in the end of episode one in the first chapter, that was added in this chapter, which makes it look longer. I marked where the second episode starts, so hopefully that clarifies things. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and please review if you have time. Until next time…**

**Ja ne~**

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**Review Responses:**

_Twilight Dark Angel: Thanks for being the first one to review my story. It really made my day. There was a small scene with Gene in this chapter, but as of right now, he isn't playing a major role in the story yet. More of him will be added, but he'll mostly stay behind the scenes for now. ;p I plan on him sneaking into one of the cases under disguise, but not sure how that will go._

_bored411: I appreciate the input you gave me. I suppose Nari was being more of a wallflower in the first chapter. I thought it fit in the beginning seeing as she was fighting with herself. On one end of the spectrum she wants to just forget and cut away the supernatural world whereas on the other side, she wants to accept it since it brought her happiness in some odd way. I'm happy you liked the background story. The first draft was drastically different than what I posted, but I'm glad it worked out. Yes, Nari carries a gun. :) Haha… that will be explained later on in the story and SPR is going to be in for a surprise when they see her pull it out in one of the cases._

_thevaheeshini: First off, thanks for review. I'm glad there are people who want to read this story. Hopefully this update did not disappoint. =)_


	3. File 1: Evil Spirits All Over? Part 3

**AN: This is the last chapter for this case. School's finally over and I finally have time to write again. I want to take the time to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this story. Feel free to leave comments or concerns and if anyone knows what John was saying after Mai passed out that would really help. I never did understand that…. I've been rewriting my other story and that's been pretty tedious. At least there's progress. Anyway, on with the story. (\(^.^)/)**

**{~}**

**Notes:**

_[Visions]_

_'Video events'_

'Thoughts'

"Normal conversation"

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of the characters except my Oc's. All rights of the picture used in the cover belong to the artist.

* * *

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**FILE 1:**

**Evil Spirits All Over?**_** - **_**Part 3**

**(First person perspective - Nari)**

Seated around Mai's unconscious form, all of us send worried glances her way, wondering when she would regain consciousness. I knew I stopped the shelf from hitting her, so what was taking her so long to wake up? Releasing a sigh, I glance to my side, not wanting to look at Mai's vulnerable state at the moment.

"Nari?" A hand rests on my shoulder, flooding my body with a familiar surge of energy. "She'll wake up in due time. Fretting over this isn't going to help anyone." Kaz rationalizes before running his hand through my black tresses in a soothing rhythm. Giving into the calming gesture, I rest my head against his shoulder, enjoying the feather-like strokes through my hair.

Closing my eyes, I mutter, "I know… it's just…" I bite my bottom lip before continuing. "I thought she would have woken up by now."

I hear a distinct sigh. "I assumed she would have as well, but I trust she will be fine once she wakes." Kaz comments before I hear another sigh coming from Housho.

"I'm going to try again." Housho announces before approaching Mai's unconscious body. He takes a deep breath. "Mai! Wake up!" At first nothing happens but after several more seconds, Mai slowly cracks open her eyes. She flickers her gaze around her before they lose their hazy look and recognition flashes through her eyes.

"I think she's going to be ok guys." John states with a smile.

"Hey Mai. How do you feel?" Housho asks gently.

"Boy, you really had me worried for a minute." Ayako breathes out a sigh of relief.

"Welcome back Mai." I add with a smile.

"Nice of you to finally join us." Kaz intones with a small smile.

**MONDAY **

**DAY 5**

Mai slowly sits up as the rest of us get out of the van to give her some space. She glances down to see Housho's jacket draped over her.

"Sumimasen…" Mai mutters weakly as she gazes down at the jacket pooling on her lap.

"You were out for quite a while there. It's already 4:00 in the morning." Housho adds, using an arm to prop himself against the car.

"Did Naru ever come back?" I slightly frown at the hope in her voice.

"Nope." At Housho's response, Mai's face slightly falls.

Mai closes her eyes as a frown appears on her face. I glance at her curiously as she remains in the same position for several more lingering seconds, as if she was debating with herself over something. Shaking her head slightly, Mai stands and hands Housho his jacket.

"I wouldn't worry about him, Mai." Kaz interrupts, causing Mai to glance our way. Still brushing my hair, Kaz continues, "Naru is the type of guy who doesn't back down. His pride won't allow him to. Give him some time. He'll come back." Mai sends him an appreciative smile before glancing around, a puzzled look adorning her face.

"Where's Kuroda-san?"

I pull away from Kaz. "She went home." I answer before sending a smile her way, "I'm glad you're alright Mai."

She smiles back at me before Ayako interrupts.

"Leaving isn't exactly a bad idea... the exorcisms had no effect... and our own safety might even be compromised." Ayako trails off in thought as she places a hand to her chin.

"Are you thinking of running away?" Mai asks innocently, resulting in Ayako coming towards her before stopping several inches away from Mai's face.

"Need I remind you that your own boss ran away first? Probably went home and cried himself to sleep." Ayako scoffs.

Anger crosses Mai's face. "That's ridiculous!"

"I agree. His pride wouldn't allow that. Plus, I can't see him crying in his sleep… that's a … scary thought," I grimace at the image, shaking my head to rid myself of it before continuing, "He's probably looking into the solution right now. He was so close last time…" I trail off.

"Again with that nonsense. What makes you an expert? You just what, started several days ago?

"She has a point…" Housho trails off as he scratches his head, "Can't believe I'm agreeing with Ayako on this… but you've just entered this business. We can't honestly believe everything you say, though you do seem more knowledgeable than the average person…" He lowers his hand as a thoughtful expression appears on his face. "Nari, have you been in this business before?"

I tilt my head to the side as if contemplating the answer before saying, "What makes you say that?"

Housho furrows his eyebrows. "Well, before when Ayako and I ended up ganging up on you, Kaz said something about knowing a person more before snapping judgments… now that I think back on it… it seems like he said that to defend you." He sends a look to Kaz who returns his gaze evenly, "Also, from what you've said since our first meeting… it seems to me that you know more than you're letting on." He furrows his eyebrows in thought.

"That and when you and Mai were reminiscing yesterday, you said that you missed this… but never specified what since you were cut off. There seems to be something more to it…" He pauses as he switches his gaze to me. "Looking at the facts, it seems fishy that someone who had no prior experience with the paranormal to suddenly be that in tuned with the things going on here. Even Kaz seemed to pick up the possibility of everything here being a natural occurrence. What I want to know… is how?"

I cast a side glance at Kaz to see a small smile on his face.

"My, my, it seems you are quite observant." Kaz compliments before crossing his arms. "It's not truly surprising for me to come up with the possibility of the events being of a natural occurrence. I have been exposed to many different scenarios in my career. I don't blindly accept things for face value, unlike some…" Kaz trails off as he casts a glance at Ayako who sends him a hateful glare in response. Housho and Mai crack small smiles at the blatant reference to Ayako. "Now that you know that, it shouldn't be hard to figure out why my sister would be 'in tuned' with the things occurring here." Kaz finishes with a smile.

I slightly smack Kaz in the arm. "I wouldn't say I'm 'in tuned' with the things going on here." I add with an eye roll. "But I think you can see where Kaz is going with this. Being the sister of a nontraditional exorcist leaves you exposed to the supernatural regardless of your wishes. As for the things I have been saying…" I trail off before a smug smile enters my face, "Well, they're not important. After all, I'm just an inexperienced amateur." I finish before sticking out my tongue, earning a dissatisfied groan from Housho.

A small chuckle escapes from Kaz. "Just to let you all know." Everyone turns their attention to Kaz. "Nari's hunches are rarely wrong. Her predictions have been spot on from what I can recall. You can choose to believe me or not so take what you want from this." Kaz explains before glancing over at Housho. "But back to the topic on hand, I'm sure you have your own speculations as to why Naru left, right Housho?"

Housho nods in response before clearing his throat. "Yeah, if I had to guess, he probably ran off because of us… we did gang up on his yesterday."

"Yes, but remember that you're talking about the world's biggest swollen-headed-self-absorbed-holier-than-mound narcissist." Mai recites bluntly.

"What do you think John?" Kaz questions.

"Maybe Kazuya's home, stewing with unbridled rage, while an exstraw ethorgy draws on each of us." John adds.

We all stare at John blankly before bursting out in laughter.

"I see." Kaz replies, amusement clear in his voice. "I believe we should end the investigation for now. Mai and Nari have class soon and I believe we all would benefit from some rest."

"I'll be taking you up on that offer." Ayako agrees before releasing a yawn. "A woman needs her beauty sleep after all." Ayako makes her way to the gate.

"Remember to come back and not run away now." Housho calls out to her, causing her to cast him a glare before walking away, nose high in the air.

"I guess I'll be leaving as well. See you all later."

"Same here. Bye you three." John calls out to us.

With that, Housho and John leave, leaving Kaz, Mai, and I.

"Are you two going to be heading out too?" Mai asks as she eyes the school building.

"Not yet. I need to get Nari her crutches." Kaz explains, causing me to release a displeased snort. "I suggest you head home and get some rest Mai."

Mai makes a move to retort, but I cut her off. "I agree with Kaz on this Mai. You took a heavy fall when that shelf fell on you."

'Ok… it wasn't _really _a heavy fall, but it was enough to make you pass out…'

"It's only a few hours before school starts so you should head home and get some rest. Kaz and I won't take too long to gather our things and head home as well."

Mai looks hesitant, but nods anyways. "Alright, I guess I'll see you in class Nari. Bye Kaz."

Once Mai leaves the gate, I turn to Kaz.

"We're not just getting my crutches right?"

He smirks. "I believe you know the answer yourself. Shall I make the necessary arrangements?"

I crack my knuckles. "Definitely. It's about time Kuroda gets exposed, but.., "I trail off, allowing my hands to return to my sides, "She's doing this unconsciously. I know what she's going through… I still want to give her a chance to stop this on her own even though she doesn't realize it… but with the way things have been going, giving her another chance might end up harming someone else. This time was Mai. Who's to say it won't be someone else next?"

"Very true." Kaz nods before glancing down at me, "But you've made similar choices in the past. What's stopping you now? If I recall, you vowed to bring her down if someone else were to be harmed. It appears that the condition has been met."

"I know." I release a sigh. "But this isn't my case. This is Naru's. I wasn't even supposed to be dragged into all of this." I wave my hands in front of me randomly. "I'm not even supposed to be close to anyone and here I am joking and befriending them. Here I am attending a damn public school. And really Kaz? You think this is the best for me? For everyone?!"

Kaz stares down at me evenly, not at all perturbed by my little outburst.

"Yes. But you think I'm wrong, don't you?"

I release an undignified snort. "Do I really need to answer that Kaz?"

He merely smiles. "I think it's about time you went back to how you were. You're still afraid. I can see it, but you've decided to change things again rather than accept them."

"If I can change it, then why don't I?" I weakly defend despite knowing the consequences for interfering.

"It's more than that. Even if you don't quite understand, you will in time. Just know there are people around you who care about you." He finishes as he places a hand on my shoulder. "Now hime, it's about time we get upstairs no?"

My eyes widen. "Oh no you-"

Kaz cuts me off by tossing me over his shoulder.

"Kaz?!" I flail my arms in an attempt to get away, but he only tightens his hold around my waist.

"You shouldn't speak in such a tone. It's quite unbecoming."

"Then put me down!"

"Hm, I think not."

"Kaz!"

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Old School House: Base-

The clicking of keys fills the room as I sort through the footage from last night. I replay the footage from camera 1.

**CAMERA 1**

_The image of the second floor hallway shows itself on the screen. The overhead lights slightly flicker before dimming. Housho enters the area with his flashlight before heading down the stairs, showing no signs of finding anything out of the ordinary. Several more minutes pass and nothing else could be seen in the dark hallway other than Kaz and me descending the stairs and the crutches clattering to the ground. _

I glance down at the time of the video before turning up the volume.

_Small creaks echo in the hallway._

_"Cut it out!" Mai snaps. _

_The creaks become louder before transforming into footsteps. _

_"You two are acting like children. Just shut up!" I add._

_"Shh! I hear something…" John trails off. _

_The footsteps are now distinct, growing louder with each passing second. _

_"Is someone there?" Mai voices out._

_The steps continue to grow louder before stopping before the camera near my discarded crutches. Housho enters the camera's view as he glances around the corridor for any sign of the noise. There wasn't any. The noise was gone. He scratches the back of his head in confusion before heading back down the stairs. _

I stop the video before rewinding back to the segment where the footsteps first appeared and transitioning it to a thermal image of the area. I replay the scene without the audio and see several hot spots in the form of footprints appearing on the wooden floor before stopping at the beginning of the stairs. The hot spots remain before becoming obscured with Housho's heat signature.

"Textbook case poltergeist." Kaz comments evenly once he removes the headphone on my head. I send him a nod in reply before doing the same to him.

"That's one camera down. We still have a few more to go, but I think there's only one more we really need to see." I answer before transferring the file from Camera 3 into my USB. I release a small sigh before placing my hand over my eyes. "Almost all the evidence is here. The rest will be up to Naru."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Saitou Household-

I unlock the front door to see Gene waiting in the living room with a tired expression on his face.

"I see you're still up." Kaz comments evenly before taking off his coat and loosening his tie.

Gene faces us with a tired smile. "I wanted to make sure you two were alright. I was able to visit Mai when she passed out; she seemed really shaken up by the accident, but didn't sustain any damage."

I pause when I hear the words escape his lips, wondering if he noticed how slowly the shelf descended or how it never made any contact with Mai. Despite knowing him for some time, I never told him about my other abilities. He knew about my sight and my ability to hear the last words of the deceased, but not everything. It was too risky to tell him, too dangerous. Still, a part of me wanted to tell him, to see the same smile on his face despite knowing what a freak I am. I frown at the thought. Releasing a sigh, I run a hand through my tousled locks before carelessly discarding the crutches near the door, earning myself a disapproving look from Kaz.

"That's good." I answer with false happiness, earning a puzzled look from Gene. "Were you able to sway her emotions toward Naru?" I joke.

He looks at me in concern for a moment before allowing a mischievous smile to enter his face. "I may have heard her saying how handsome I look when I smile…" He trails off before releasing a small laugh. "I can't really argue. I am the better looking twin." He jokes as he runs a hand through his hair with a smirk adorning his face before bursting out in laughter.

"You better be careful. You don't want to catch Naru's narcissism." I add before playfully messing up his hair. "I get enough of that from him mind you."

He only laughs harder. "Yeah. If only Naru heard that. He'd be eating that up. It seems like things are going according to plan. She thinks I'm Naru so if I show up more in her dreams then maybe her feelings for Naru will grow."

I shake my head before plopping next to him on the couch. "If you say so…" I murmur before slowly closing my eyes. "Don't let her be confused… she might end up falling for you rather than Naru…" I trail off before feeling myself drift in and out of consciousness.

I feel the couch shift slightly, probably Gene moving.

"Don't worry, Nari. Everything's going to work out." He adds before I feel his hand gripping mine, sending sparks of energy flowing through me. For some reason, I felt like he wasn't just talking about Mai and Naru, but I didn't know why. Sleep deprivation must have finally caught up to me.

"Looks like she's exhausted." Kaz murmurs. "I'll carry her to her room so she can rest before she has to wake up for school."

"It's fine. You head to bed. I got her." I hear the rustling of clothes before feeling myself being carried. I weakly crack open my eyes to see Gene carrying me. When he finally notices me staring at him, he sends a gentle smile my way.

"I don't like being carried…" I mumble, only to have him release a small chuckle.

"You're not really fighting it right now."

"I'm tired…"

"I can see that."

"Gene…?"

"Yes?"

"Naru left."

"I know."

"He has a big ego…"

He releases a small laugh. "I know."

"He's pig-headed."

"Yup." He answers, making a popping noise at the p.

"I'm tired…"

"I know… we're almost to your bedroom."

"…You look like him…"

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

"No…"

"No?"

"No."

"Uhh no?"

"Yup. You're not."

"Wait, what?"

"You look like him, but he's Naru. Gene's Gene."

He merely shakes his head at me.

"I think you really need sleep."

"I know…but I like being close to you like this…"

He pauses for a moment before entering my room and placing me on my bed.

"You really need to get your sleep. I'll see you in a couple of hours ok?" He adds gently as he brushes some of the stray hairs covering my face. He smiles softly at me before leaning forward slightly. That was all I saw before allowing sleep to take me.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: School-

It was painfully obvious two hours of sleep was by no means enough. I don't know how I used to go days on end without sleep. Stifling another yawn, I trudge through the hallway deep in thought.

'Kaz performed his role this morning… hopefully it's not too obvious. Either way, all we have to do now is hope that Naru puts all the pieces together.' I stifle another yawn. 'Geez…I really to get more sleep.'

I continue to drag myself through the hallway before hearing several voices conversing near the entrance of the classroom.

"Kuroda told us. She's been bragging about it to the whole class this morning."

'Keiko?' I place my hand against the wall before leaning closer.

"But you'll never guess what happened to us."

'Michiru?'

"Kazuya called us last night!"

"And we talked for 10 straight minutes!" Michiru adds.

I blink once. Twice. 'Wait…What? Why would Naru call them?' I tilt my head to the side in confusion.

"He called?! When?" Mai asks.

"Yesterday." Michiru answers dazed.

'Yesterday… huh… seems like he might be catching on.'

"Last night? He's been missing since yesterday evening. What did you talk about?"

"Uh… well a bunch of stuff…The old school building, and then…" Keiko trails off hesitantly.

"He pretty much asked question about Kuroda." Michiru sums up.

'Kuroda… Huh. Took him long enough.' I smile at the turn of events. Hearing enough, I make my way into the classroom to see Mai deep in thought. Before I can call out to her, a teacher calls out Kuroda's, Mai's, and my name.

We all turn to the doorway.

"You're wanted in the principal's office."

**{~}**

-Scene change: Principal's office-

"Excuse me." Mai opens the door to see Naru and everyone else related to the case seated in a line facing the principal's desk. I glance over at Kaz to see a bemused smile adorning his face before it disappears from sight.

'Looks like everything's set.' I thought, fighting the smile threatening to enter my face. After all, it would look odd for me to randomly smile at a room full of grim-faced people.

"Naru...? And there's Masako... What's everyone doing here?" Mai voices out, only to be told by the principal to take a seat. We all do.

"This makes up everyone who's been involved in the investigation so far." Naru looks around to all of us, lingering his eyes on Kuroda.

"This will only take a few minutes." He explains before closing the curtains to cover the room in darkness before turning on a slowly flashing red light.

"I'd like everyone to focus on the light… Now control your breathing so that it's in sync with the light… very slowly relax your shoulders. Concentrate on your breathing."

I feel my eyelids slowly drooping as my shoulders drop.

"Now start counting your breaths… breathe deeply."

My breathing slows.

"Tonight, the chair on the second floor of the old school house will move."

I concentrate on his fading voice, finding it oddly comforting.

"Tomorrow we will all meet in the laboratory." The curtain cracks open, blinding me with the sudden light.

I rub my eyes before seeing Naru glancing at us in disinterest. "Thank you, that's all I needed. I appreciate your cooperation."

"I'm sleepy." Housho murmurs as he rubs his eyes.

"So am I." Ayako agrees as she gets up from her seat.

Masako and John stand up as well, rubbing their eyes. Still keeping the sleeve of her kimono over her mouth, she glances over at Kaz, a calculating look on her face. Noticing her stare, Kaz turns to face her and offers an amused smile before exiting the room. I blink at the exchange.

'What's going on with those two?' I furrow my eyebrows in confusion before shaking my head and leaving the room. 'Now's not the time for this. We need to get this over with.'

Once I turn the corner, I see Kaz waiting patiently for me.

"The deed's done." He states with a smile, causing me to sweat drop.

"You sound like you murdered someone and hid the body." I deadpan, earning a chuckle in response.

"I do believe I have experience in that field."

I give him a blank look. "Video games don't count." I shake my head before allowing a smile to enter my face. "So did he find it?"

Kaz glances down at the watch on his wrist. "If your calculations were correct, he should have found them before the meeting. From his lingering gaze on Kuroda, I would assume so."

I nod in reply before looking out the window. "Looks like this case is almost over."

**MONDAY**

**EVENING **

-Scene change: Old School House: Outside-

Kaz and I head to Naru's van to see him listening to the recordings from last night. Before we could announce our arrival, Mai steps toward Naru before covering her face. Kaz and I send each other a confused look before darting (or in my case quickly hopping) behind a tree to watch the scene unfold. Seeing as we were too far away from them, we couldn't specifically hear what was being exchanged, but it seemed to me that Mai was blushing at Naru.

'Looks like she fell for it… she thinks Gene was Naru…' I thought with a slight frown. For some reason, the thought was unsettling for me. Why is that?

'Maybe because I'm worried she might fall for Gene rather than Naru? But she only thinks there's one person… so to her there's only Naru… maybe I just don't want things to turn sour when she finds out she's crushing on Gene? But why would that matter to me…' I bite my bottom lip. I didn't know the answer to that question.

Shaking my head, I leave the cover of the tree and steadily make my way over to Naru and Mai on my crutches with Kaz trailing behind me. Naru glances up from his laptop to face me before taking off his headphones. At that moment, John appears as well, giving us all a wave.

"Seeing as we're all here, let's get started." Naru states, earning confused looks from Mia, John, and me.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Old School House: Lab (Second floor)-

"A chair and a camera…" Mai observes before placing a hand on her chin and switching her gaze between the two objects.

John continues to set up the camera before positioning it in front of the chair. At the same time, Kaz draws a chalk circle around the chair before standing up and making his way over to me. I glance up from my seated position on the ground.

"Found something to entertain yourself with?"

"Yup. I just learned a new coin trick." I answer before holding out what appeared to be a silver coin. Before he can comment, I use just my good leg to push myself up before grabbing my crutches and making my way over to Naru.

Seeing as Naru considered me an invalid, he told me to sit in the corner and stay out of the way. Normally, I would fight such an order, but seeing as this was the perfect chance to plant a bug on the computer, why waste it?

'Everything's all set.'

I hop over to Naru's crouched form before releasing a sigh, showing again my displeasure for being left out.

"Stop sighing. It's annoying." Naru comments, not taking his eyes off the radar.

"You're not an invalid." I grumble, earning myself a scoff. I roll my eyes before poking Naru in the back with one of my crutches. He pauses for a moment before resuming him work. I smile before poking him again and again. He finally turns to face me with a glare.

Before he can comment, Mai interrupts.

"Hey Naru," Mai peeks her head from the doorway, "what are you setting up over there?"

He sends me an annoyed glance before resuming his work on the radar.

"This is a radar." He answers simply.

"Wait a minute; I thought they only used these in airplanes. Why do you have one?"

"If I told you, it won't work."

A frown enters her face. "But I'm your assistant." She rebukes, placing her hand on her hips.

"Yes. I'm glad you remembered." He holds out a hammer to Mai. "Now take some of the plywood and start boarding up all the windows and doors in that room. And ask John, Kaz…" He trails off before glancing over at me. "and Nari to help."

Surprise enters my face before I smile.

"You just don't want me to poke you again huh?"

He stares at me with a deadpan look before resuming his work with his free hand. "If you can work, then work. Don't waste my time."

I shrug (the best I could with crutches) before tossing them to the side and grabbing the hammer from Naru's hand, earning myself a disapproving glance from Kaz before he picks up another hammer.

A few minutes later…

When we finally finish boarding up the room, Mai leans against the plywood, clearly exhausted.

"Ugh… my arms are killing me…" She groans before glancing over at me. "How… are you not tired?"

I merely shrug. "I live a pretty active lifestyle so this isn't too difficult."

"Seriously? What do you even do?"

"I guess you can say I spend a lot of time running away…" I answer vaguely, earning myself a confused look from Mai.

"If you're done." Naru interrupts before holding out several markers. "All of you write your names on the boards."

A short while later…

*squeaking of markers*

"That's the last one right?" Mai pleads as she slumps over. Naru doesn't answer her, choosing rather to tape a piece of paper on the edge of two boards.

"Now write you names on this paper. When you're done, you can go home." Naru explains before walking away.

"So… I assume there's a point to all this?" Mai asks as she signs her name.

"You'll find out tomorrow." He answers, not sparing us a glance.

"Tomorrow?"

"Kazuya knows what he's doing and I trust his judgment." John adds before signing his name.

"Maybe so but I'm tired of being left in the dark!"

Kaz places a hand on Mai's shoulder. "Just be patient. Things will work out." She stares at him for a moment before releasing an annoyed sigh.

"Easier said than done." I mutter.

"Tell me about it." Mai agrees.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Saitou Household-

"So this is what you attached to Naru's computer?" Gene asks as he shows me the coin-sized device held in his fingers.

"It's one version of it. I've been experimenting with some new versions, but that's been the most efficient and reliable thus far." I answer as I continue to fiddle with some of the other devices on the table. "It acts in accordance to the disk on my bracelet. One stud will deliver one command whereas the other delivers another… I'm giving Kuroda a choice in this matter. Her reactions will dictate the outcome."

"I can't believe you made this." Gene shakes his head before giving me a smile. "You're incredible."

I pause for a moment to glance up at him, feeling the room suddenly grow warmer. Frowning, I get up from my seat to check the thermostat. It's at the same setting as always, so why did it suddenly feel warm?

"Is something the matter?"

Sending him a smile, I answer no before turning on my laptop to see the progress of the bug. It was at 70%.

"So what exactly will this do?"

"To put it in the simplest terms, it will reveal to everyone that Kuroda is the culprit." I answer before clasping my hands together and resting my chin on them. "How thrilled is Naru going to be when he learns someone hacked his equipment?"

Gene grins. "Not at all. It'll be a low blow to his pride."

"Hmm… that's going to be a definite plus then." I answer with a smirk before grasping my tea cup (more so tea mug).

_[A scream. A pond. A hand. Green eyes.]_

*crash*

"Nari?!"

*chair screeching against wood*

I blink several times before noticing a throbbing pain in my hand. Glancing down, I see several shards of the tea cup embedded in my hand, causing small trails of blood to run along my skin.

"Ow." I mutter dully, not at all perturbed by the newly acquired injury.

I soon feel Gene gently taking my wrist before examining the damage, filling me with a calming warmth. A frown appears on his face before he shakes his head.

"Strong grip much?" He jokes slightly before getting up from his seat to grab the first aid kit stored in one of the cabinets in the study.

'Looks like keeping a first aid kit in every room in the house was a good idea…' I thought before frowning slightly. 'What was that vision? It doesn't seem to have anything to do with this case… but I'll have to keep an eye out… green eyes huh? Glass-like but almost human… weird.'

Gene soon returns, taking out a pair of tweezers to pull the porcelain shards out of my hand. Every time I wince, he sends me an apologetic smile until all the shards are safely removed and thrown away. When he takes out the disinfectant, my eyes widen and before he could spray it, I had already made it out of the door and into the living room.

"Nari!"

Ignoring his call, I run, or well speed limp away before ramming into a hard chest. That is never a good sign. Gulping, I look up to see Kaz with a predatory grin on his face.

"Still running away I see." He loosens his tie. Before I can bolt out of the room, Kaz wraps his arms around my waist and tosses me over his shoulder, effectively knocking the wind out of me.

"Ugh…"

He glances at me calmly. "You should realize running away is useless by now. How many times has this happened? 180?"

"154… Kaz… you suck." I gasp, trying to get much needed oxygen into my lungs.

"That language is quite unbecoming. I advise you to desist." Kaz intones, earning himself a groan from me.

"There you are." I gulp before glancing over to see Gene with the disinfectant.

"If you surrender, it'll be a lot easier." Kaz advises.

"Never."

"Very well." Before I can react, Kaz shoves me into the couch, holding my wrists above my head while he straddles my waist.

"Oi, get off pervert!" I shout, earning myself an amused glance from Kaz.

"If you would Gene."

Gene shakes his head in disbelief before coming over to spray the disinfectant on my hand. I continue to struggle, but Kaz merely gazes down at me with an amused expression.

"You never do learn, hime." He chuckles as he leans in closer.

I send him a glare before allowing a smirk to appear on my face. Before he can move away, I ram my head into his, disorienting him enough to allow me to knock him off to escape into my room and lock the door behind me with a click.

"Nari!"

*bang*

I slide down against the door as I feel the wood shaking from his bangs.

"You never learn Kaz." I answer, relishing in the groans on the other side of the door.

"I can't believe that girl." I hear Gene mutter. I couldn't help but smile.

**TUESDAY **

**DAY 6**

-Scene change: On the way to school-

Seeing as how Kaz was a _bit _upset over yesterday's incident, I left the house early in the morning. Somehow Gene woke up at about the same time, saying he wanted to make sure the cuts in my hand were wrapped and cleaned.

I glance down at the bandages on my right hand with a smile, recalling the amusement he held when we talked about last night's events. After all this time, Gene wasn't entirely used to the antics between Kaz and me. It made sense; Kaz and I had an unusual relationship for siblings, but I never really paid much mind to it. I suppose it was because Ayumu and I had a complex relationship as well. Many people would mistakenly believe us to be more than siblings by our behavior, but we were just that – siblings. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice I had passed Mai until she called out to me.

"Nari!"

I turn around to see Mai waving at me half-heartedly, exhaustion clear on her face. "You're here early."

"I could say the same to you." I reply.

We walk side by side.

"I didn't get a wink of sleep last night because I was thinking about this..." Mai trails off before widening her eyes. "Eh? Where are your crutches? And what's with the bandage on your hand?"

I blink. 'Huh… she's more observant than I give her credit for.'

"Well my leg feels fine now so I don't really need the crutches. As for this…" I hold out my right hand. "I had an accident with a tea cup."

Mai sends me a disbelieving look before shaking her head. "Geez, you really are a trouble magnet. A tea cup? Really?"

I shrug. "Yup." I answer, making a popping noise at the p.

Mai slows down her steps, causing me to send her a questioning look.

"It's his real assistant." Mai answers before completely stopping in her tracks.

I froze.

"This is going to be really awkward... Last time we saw him, he ended up in the hospital..." Mai mutters before looking off to the side.

'Damn it. I don't want to see him.' I clench my hands, ignoring the stinging in my right hand. 'He's just more proof that I don't belong around other people, but here I am.' I glance to the side. 'Just breathe and suck it up… you've done this before. It'll just be like before… just be normal…' I slightly flinch at the end, knowing I wasn't anywhere close to being normal.

"What are you two doing here so early?"

We glance over to see Naru and Lin eyeing us.

"I-I couldn't sleep 'cause I've been up all night thinking about that experiment that we set up yesterday." Mai explains hesitantly as she walks up to the pair. Seeing as I had no other option, I slowly trail behind her before glancing up to see Naru waiting for my response.

"I'm running away from Kaz…" I answer sheepishly. "Last night I may have head-butted him and I don't feel the need to meet my demise just yet."

Naru blinks at me in confusion. "I…see." He faces Mai. "You'll have to wait a bit more to see the results. Everyone will be here soon." He says before rummaging through his van once again.

"Everyone? Even the Monk and Ayako? What for?"

No response.

A frown appears on her face before she looks over to Lin. "S-so are you feeling better?" Mai asks awkwardly, only to receive a very dirty look in response.

"At least you didn't fall off the second floor." I mutter, causing him to snap his gaze over to me. "You'll be off the crutch soon anyway."

He gazes at me evenly. "I suppose so…" I felt as though he had more to say, but chose not to breach the subject just yet. Fine by me.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Old School House: Lab (Second Floor)-

"So what's the plan for today Naru?" Housho asks as he places one hand on the back of his head.

"Maybe you should quit before you embarrass yourself again." Ayako snips before crossing her arms over her chest.

"I believe he's done more than you have." Kaz quips, earning himself a 'I-hate-you!' glare, courtesy of Ayako.

"Now would you four please confirm that the paper you signed hasn't been tampered with." Naru asks, completely ignoring the previous comments.

"Uh… yeah…ok." Mai walks in front of the paper. "Looks good to me. What about you John?"

"Fine. Nari?"

"It's the same. Kaz?"

"No change."

Lin lowers the video camera.

"Alright." Naru taps the crowbar against his free hand before jamming it between the boards and ripping them apart. When two of the boards are dismantled, we all peer inside.

"Oh My Lord…!" John breathes.

Mai gasps.

The chair is across the room on its back, obviously away from the chalk circle drawn around it.

"The chair! It's moved!" John points out.

"Indeed it has." Naru walks over to the laptop set up on the desk.

"What exactly does this prove?" Ayako asks.

"Care to explain?" Housho adds.

"…I'd like to thank you all for your cooperation. I'll be finishing the investigation today." Naru answers, ignoring the questions cast his way.

"So let me get this straight. You're claiming to have solved the case again?" Ayako clarifies skeptically.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Is it ground subsidence?" Mai adds.

"Yes. All of the issues the principal originally brought to my attention can be explained by ground subsidence."

"Yeah? Then what about those disturbances we saw the day before yesterday?" Housho asks skeptically.

"Now those were from a poltergeist."

"You're not making any sense!"

"There's no helping it. It's the one you failed to exorcise right?" Ayako snips, eyeing Housho.

I release a sigh. "This isn't a poltergeist you can merely exorcise."

"I beg your pardon?"

I glance over at her with a smile. "You can't exorcise it. Housho can't exorcise it. John can't exorcise it. Even Kaz can't. No one can."

"Why you-"

"There's simply no need for it." Kaz interrupts, causing everyone to turn their attention towards him. "Isn't that right, Naru?"

"I believe you know the answer to that already." Naru pulls up a video on the laptop. "Watch this."

_The chair continues to remain in its initial position for several lingering moments before the legs begin to shake, filling the room with clacks. The chair suddenly slides to the back of the room – still shaking – before twisting on one of its legs and clattering on its back. _

"W-what was that?" Mai stutters as she grips onto Housho's sleeve.

"It's an obvious poltergeist." Housho concludes.

"Humans are to blame for over half of reported poltergeist activity every year…" Naru trails off.

"You mean like a prank? But no one could have gotten in there." Mai asks.

"True. We did seal off every entrance. I even had John, Mai, Nari, and Kaz sign their names on each panel so we could tell if someone had tampered with one."

"If someone had attempted to replace any of the broken pieces, there's little chance anyone could have replicated my signature." John adds.

"This only proves I've been right all along!" Kuroda announces.

"Keep listening." I mutter before looking over to Naru. "Go ahead."

He walks over to the knocked over chair. "I placed a hypnotic suggestion into everyone's mind yesterday – a suggestion that the chair will move before we met here this evening."

"In the principal's office…" Mai trails off.

Naru rights the chair before leaning on it with one of his hands. "So far this method has never failed me and I have no reason to believe it will today."

"Yeah… but that still doesn't change the fact that no one got in here…"

"Poltergeists are a form of latent mental powers, often by people who have an unconscious craving for attention. When stressed is introduced, a self-defense type mechanism reacts in the brain. Hypnotic suggestions can become reality in these types of situations."

Everyone except Kaz and I glance at Kuroda.

"Y-you mean I'm responsible for this?"

"From the moment I met you I knew you were trying to impress me. For example you've claimed to have seen spirits that still remained here from the war. There is no evidence of this area being bombed during the war or of it being used as a hospital. In fact there was never a hospital built on this land period. So that means, you were either mistaken or intentionally lying to me and the others." Naru explains as he walks over to the rest of us.

"I'm not a liar!"

"At first I thought you were pretending to be spiritually sensitive, but when things started happening that could only be explained by a poltergeist, I became quite perplexed. My scientific readings and Hara-san's psychic readings came up clean. That's when I determined that the haunting was of human origin – the second source of poltergeist activity Nari pointed out earlier on. Poltergeist activity is often caused by children in their early teens, numerous involving teen-aged girls in particular. It's a form of psychokinesis that can occur in periods of great stress."

Kuroda clenches her fists as desperation appears onto her face.

'She's reaching her breaking point.'

"Ever since middle school you were known for being sensitive to spirits amongst your peers, but once it was proven by me that the strange phenomenon happening here was due to ground subsidence, you naturally lost any confidence you had in your own physic abilities. This caused you immense anxiety because it went against your own beliefs and although you could see the merits in my evidence, you still wanted to believe the spirits were to blame. You told yourself there was no other way; you simply couldn't face the truth."

With that, Kuroda covers her face with both her hands as her shoulders tremble.

'Looks like you saved yourself Kuroda… there really isn't a need for this anymore.' I glance down at the bracelet hanging on my wrist. '…Naru's seen everything so he already knows.'

I finger the circular disk on my bracelet before pressing down on one of the two studs on its surface.

"You had no idea you did it. Wow…" Housho mumbles to himself before glancing over at me. "You knew about it this whole time, didn't you Nari?"

"Come to think of it… she kept giving us hints…" Mai ponders out loud. "Kaz too."

I glance at the two of them with a smile. "Call it a hunch."

Kaz chuckles in response before placing his hands down on my shoulders. "I did warn you all that Nari's hunches are never wrong. As for me, I've seen a similar case before."

"Kuroda," We all turn our attention back to Naru. "I truly believe you are a latent psychic."

"Meaning…?" Mai trails off.

"A latent psychic is someone who has supernatural abilities. She's not aware of it but she does have some level of P.K."

Kuroda looks up at Naru.

"I'll say this for your sake Mai. P.K. is short for psychokinesis. It's the ability to move objects by thought."

"Thank you… I'm so grateful." Mai mutters sarcastically.

"In her mind, she needed the spirits to exist in the old school building so she could continue to attract attention from those around her… for her own sake."

Kuroda glances down to the ground, a frown marring her face.

"Kuroda?"

She glances my way.

"I understand how you feel."

"No you don't! How can you possibly understand? When you first got here, you instantly made friends. You didn't need to try at all! I-I had to work so hard… I wanted someone to look at me…"

"I'm the opposite of you." That causes her to snap her gaze back to me. "I don't want friends. I don't want to be around others because ever since … "I pause before continuing. "Ever since this one incident, I bring nothing but trouble to others. I'm usually hated, so I hide, I run. Everything a coward would do, but you, even though you weren't spiritually sensitive, you put yourself out there. That's not something I would do." I smile back sadly. "I met Mai by chance and somehow I ended up getting roped back into this. I really do miss this… being near people… the supernatural… I really can't stay away." I let out a small laugh.

"Y-you?" Kuroda stutters.

"You're a strong person Kuroda and I'm glad you realize what happened in the end."

"I-" Kuroda looks down.

"Ya know, I think I can understand where you're coming from Kuroda. It's natural really… a desire to stand out from the crowd and be a unique person. It could be a talent or just being an honest and kind human being." Mai explains, "As for Nari, even though I don't understand why you're saying all that or what happened to you, just know that I'll still be your friend. It's lonely isn't it? Having to constantly run away and not have friends?"

I merely shake my head. "It's quite complicated, but I appreciate the sentiments, Mai. There are just risks I have to keep in mind." I face Kuroda, debating my next words. "So Kuroda, do you want to be friends?"

"Huh? But you…"

"It's a simple question."

"Yes… yes I would like that." A soft smile appears on her face.

"Does that explanation satisfy everyone?" Naru breaks in.

"Not quite, according to that little theory, her elevated stress levels came after you gave us your little theory on ground subsidence or whatever it was. What about me getting stuck in that room? Or the video being erased? Explain that!" Ayako adds.

"The reason you became stuck in that room, is because there was a nail sticking up from the floor." Naru holds up the nail.

"That's it?"

"Nari, Kaz, and I noticed it that day, but I didn't mention it because I felt it wasn't necessary at the time."

"So someone did it on purpose?" She rounds up on Kuroda. "Was it you?"

Naru glances evenly at the two. "She was probably trying to get back at you, seeing as you verbally attacked her moments before. But I seem to recall Kuroda showing animosity towards Nari as well." He faces Kuroda. "Why didn't you go after her?"

Kuroda looks away. "I wouldn't want to mess with someone who acts like nothing happened after falling out of a building from the second floor… or can break wood just by slamming her hand on it."

"Smart choice." Kaz mutters, rubbing his forehead slightly before sending me a half-hearted glare. I merely smile sweetly in response.

"What about the video?" Ayako asks, still unconvinced.

At that moment, the laptop malfunctions, showing the scene of a snowstorm.

"What's going on?" Housho asks hesitantly. The screen returns to normal, revealing a video of Kuroda walking down the hallway without any signs of being attacked before fading back into black.

"The video was intentionally erased. As you can see, that is the actual video." Naru explains, not at all surprised by the sudden interruption.

"But how?"

Naru turns to Ayako. "When you were locked up, we all left. With no one there, there was plenty of time for someone to tamper with the footage without anyone noticing."

"Seeing as Kuroda was the only one away from the group, I'm sure we all know who was behind that little instance." Kaz adds.

"This is ridiculous…" Ayako sighs out.

"How did you even recover that video?" Kuroda asks meekly.

"I have my ways."

I can't help the small upturn of my lips at that statement. Naru will be Naru of course.

"So what do we do now? The principal hired us all so they could get the place ready for new construction." Housho asks.

Naru faces Housho. "I plan to report the following story to the principal: The old school house was haunted by those who died here during the war. They've all been exorcized and the place is now clean of any paranormal activity. Is that alright with you, Kuroda-san?" Naru finishes with a soft smile.

I blink at the expression on Naru's face before turning away. 'Just like Gene… no it's different…'

Kuroda looks up at Naru in surprise before nodding.

"How kind of you." Masako takes several steps toward Naru. "but will you really lie to the principal? He deserves to know the real story."

Kuroda tenses slightly before forcing her eyes down to the floor.

"Kuroda's doing an excellent job suppressing her feelings now. There's no need to embarrass her any further."

Mai smiles at his words before turning to him to see Ayako invading Naru's personal bubble, causing a grimace to enter her face.

"I had no idea you were so sensitive. Do you have a girlfriend?"

"I'm not sure I fully understand your question…" Naru answers evenly.

Ayako leans in a bit closer. "I'm saying that I wouldn't mind getting to know you better. Even though you are a little younger than me…"

'Way to be subtle…' I thought sarcastically.

"I appreciate the offer," Naru looks away before facing Ayako with a smirk, "But I must decline. I'm too used to looking at myself in the mirror."

"Pfft…" I cover my mouth for a moment before releasing my laughter. Everyone else follows suit and laughs at Ayako's expense.

'You're killing me Naru…' I clutch my sides as I try to calm down my laughter only to fail.

"Let's get serious and decide who's going to take credit for this job!" Ayako scolds, blushing in embarrassment.

We all calm down but the amused smiles remain.

"Everyone contributed equally. We ok with that?" Naru asks.

We all glance at each other before nodding.

"And Mai, Nari."

"I know." Mai answers as she steps up to him.

"Got it."

"Lin, let's start breaking camp."

"Right."

A few minutes later…

-Scene change: Old School House: Outside-

*yawn* "So it wasn't such a big deal after all." Ayako states as she stretches out her arms.

"Just admit it. You were scared, weren't you?" Housho jokes as he trails behind Ayako.

"Watch it!"

Ayako and Housho head toward the school gates. Kuroda follows after them, but not before bowing to Mai and me.

Mai stares at the three of them leaving as she holds the tripod in her arms. It was obvious she didn't want this case to end and I didn't blame her. Naru reaches over and takes the tripod out of Mai's hands, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Shouldn't you be heading back to class?"

"I thought I'd help you pack up since you're my boss for the next few minutes." Mai reasons.

"No need. Why don't you head back to class? I'd hate to see you plummet further into the depths of stupidity."

"Geez, you really enjoy putting me down, don't you? I'm a lot smarter than you take me for!" She stomps away before turning around, reluctance shinning in her face.

'You really don't him to leave…huh Mai?'

Shaking away her thoughts, Mai calls out, "See ya jerk-face!" before running toward the school.

I merely shake my head at her. 'You've fallen for him hard.'

"So I guess this is it? You sure you don't want Kaz and me to help?" I ask Naru. He pauses in his work for a moment before resuming.

"No Nari."

"I see." I make a move to leave, but he calls out to me, causing me to turn around. Something flashes through the air, but I manage to catch it out of reflex. Blinking, I glance down to see the bug I attached to his computer.

"You forgot something." Naru comments as a smirk enters his face. I take a moment to process the information before letting out a laugh.

"Looks like I did. Guess I need to work on subtlety huh?" I place the bug in my pocket. "See you around Naru, Lin. It's been fun." I wave off to them before adjusting the strap of my backpack over my shoulder as I walk toward the school.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

I glance out the window deep in thought before the classroom begins to tremble.

'What?' The sound of snapping wood enters the room, causing me to snap my gaze to the old school house.

'It's falling apart… I guess we made it just in time.'

*crack*crash*

The other students crowd around the windows to watch the old school house split in two before one side completely collapses.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Several days later-

Several days have passed and nothing's really changed. Mai still mopes around her desk, fretting over the fact that she had no way to contact Naru. On the plus side, my stitches had finally come off and the cuts on my hand had finally healed enough not to require a bandage. Kaz had hounded me on why I left off Kuroda so easily whereas my past self wouldn't. I didn't really have an answer to that, but in the end Kaz just gave me his ever annoying know-it-all smile.

'Geez... why ask me those questions when he already knows the answers...' I thought bitterly.

During these couple of days, Kaz, Gene, and I have been looking into Ayumu's whereabouts, but found no new leads. No one's see him. It's like he never existed... no traces, nothing. I release a small sigh before pulling out my cellphone, concentrating on reaching his supposed deceased spirit only to come empty.

'At least he's still alive...' I thought with a sigh. 'Will it kill him to leave me some clue? ...Who am I kidding. This is Ayumu... if he doesn't want to be found, he won't be.' I lean back into my chair.

"That's amazing Kuroda! So the stories about the old school house were true!"

"I can't believe it collapsed."

I glance up to see Kuroda conversing with two other girls in the class. Ever since the case, she's been socializing more. I can't help but be happy for her. After all, she's finally getting noticed. I shift my gaze over to Mai to see her slumped on her desk, gloom radiating out of her.

'Looks like she needs some cheering up.'

*creak* I stand up from my seat and head over to her.

*sigh*

"Cheer up Mai. We're the ones who should be sighing." Keiko states.

"Yeah, what the heck Mai? Kazuya's gone forever and you didn't think to ask for a number or his address? We couldn't even find his phone number in the phone book." Michiru adds.

"I know… you're not helping…" Mai mumbles as she places on head on the table.

"I have the feeling that we'll see him again, Mai."

She lifts her head to face me before giving me a pout. "How can you be so sure?"

"Hmm…" I place a finger on my chin. "Call it a hunch?"

"Taniyama Mai. Saitou Nari. You two have a phone call. Please report to the front office immediately."

Mai and I exchange a look before getting up to follow the instructions from the PA System.

**{~}**

-Time skip-

The secretary hands us a phone and seeing as Mai took the phone first, I settled with leaning against it to hear the conversation as well.

"Hello?" Mai and I ask.

"Hello girls?" Naru responds.

"Uh…Hi!"

"There's no need to yell."

"I second that… you have a pair of lungs Mai…" I mutter as I nurse my ear. She sends me a sheepishly look before turning her attention back to the call.

"So what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Your fee."

"Our what?" Mai asks.

"Your pay for the hours you worked as my assistants. Of course, if you two don't want it, I can always give it to charity."

Mai's face falls into a deadpan expression.

"I'll send out the checks today, so you should have them soon. And I'm curious if your school would let you have a job. If you're both interested, I have two positions open. It's office work, but it'll be good experience."

"Sure! That sounds great!" Mai replies.

I don't respond right away. 'Should I really do this? If I agree then there's no avoiding it anymore…'

"Nari?" I glance over at Mai to see her gazing at me curiously.

'Looks like I can't run away anymore.'

"Hey Naru, count me in."

"Good. Come down to my office to fill out some paperwork. It's at Shibuya off Dogenzaka. I'll be seeing you girls soon."

**{~}**

-Time skip-

That was how Mai and I found ourselves standing before Naru's office with a hand-drawn map as our guide. Things are finally starting to move forward.

* * *

**AN: So that's the third chapter of this story. Hopefully this chapter was enjoyable and if you have any recommendations for the GenexNari scenes feel free to leave a review or PM me. More will be revealed about Nari's past in the next case, so watch out for the hints. Please review. Until next time…**

**Ja ne~**

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

Review Responses:

_Jem Juliette Jewels Jade: Thanks for the review and for clarifying that one line Ayako said. I never really did understand it when I watched the anime. As for pairings in this story, they are undecided as of right now, but I am leaning towards GenexNari. I think they would fit together and their relationship will be a secret one if things follow through. There's still a chance Nari may end up with someone else, but seeing as the story is still in its early stages, we will have to see. Gene will be appearing more often once we hit the third I think? Hope this chapter is to your liking and if you have any other comments, feel free to message or leave a review. _

_bored411: Hi again. Thanks for reviewing. You brought up an interesting point. I'm still unsure about the pairings, but having Gene's existence being a secret opens up a lot of possibilities for plot twists. I am not sure if you read the manga, but in the end Mai ends up having to sort out her feelings for Naru and Gene. I feel like in this case that will appear in this story and in a higher dosage since Gene is alive in this retelling. It's still in the early stages of the story so there's a lot of room for emotional attachments and changes. SPR is going to flip when they learn about Nari's little gun, but that won't come up yet. More hints about Nari will be dropped as the story progresses so keep an eye out for them. Hopefully the wait is worth it and I hope you enjoy the chapter._

_thevaheeshini: Welcome back :D Thanks for reviewing again and I'm glad the chapter did not disappoint you. I really appreciate the encouragement you gave me. It really means a lot. I apologize for taking a while to get this chapter out, but here it is. I had to play around with some of the scenes so hopefully this works out. It's a bit difficult thinking of the romantics between Gene and Nari, so if you have any suggestions I'm all ears. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. _

_RAZHEL: Thanks for reviewing. I always love reading reviews. Hopefully this update is worth the wait. _


	4. File 2: The Doll House Part 1

**AN: Here's the new case. A couple more hints about Nari will pop up so watch out for them. It took some to work out the little kinks but I'm happy to say that I'm satisfied with this chapter. As always, I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorite, or simply read my story. I really appreciate it. Now, onto the story. (^.^)**

{~}

**Notes:**

_[Visions]_

_'Video events'_

'Thoughts'

"Normal conversation"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of the characters except my Oc's. All rights of the picture used in the cover belong to the artist.**

* * *

**JUNE**

**(First person perspective – Nari)**

-Saitou Household: Night-

_[Water. A gun. A shot. Pain. Ayumu falling. Another shot. Darkness.] _

'No… Ayumu. Please… not him. Not him!'

"Nari! Nari, it's ok. Shh…" I feel two arms encasing me, causing me to thrash around even more.

"Please… don't hurt him. Don't involve him… it was my fault… it's my fault…" I fight against the person's hold as I reach out towards something… someone.

"Nari…" A hand grasps mine, pulling me forward. I stumble before crashing into a chest. A pair of hands rests on my arms to steady me.

"You're safe now…" I glance up to see Gene glancing down at me in worry. "You're safe… I won't let anything happen to you." He soothes as he strokes my hair.

"But Ayumu-"

"It'll be alright. We'll find him before it is too late."

My body continues to tremble but the lulling warmth I felt from this contact soon ends that.

"Gene…" I clench his shirt. "Thank you…"

He pulls me closer, tightening his hold around me – all while stroking my hair in a soothing rhythm.

"Any time, Nari."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**JULY **

**DAY 1**

**(First person perspective – Nari)**

It had been a month since that vision had shown itself to me. Ever since then, those images would plague my mind, pushing me back into my insomnia. In an attempt to help me cope, Kaz gave me an old sketchpad, telling me expressing myself would calm my nerves. It failed. I lost count of how many times I flung it at Kaz's head. He was adamant about it though, forcing me to carry it around everywhere I went.

Throughout the month, Gene would stay with me before I fell asleep. I loved it. We would always talk – about his childhood, his memories, my memories, funny moments, anything really – before I fall asleep. In the morning, he was always gone like he was never there in the first place. That was how things went in the house.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I look out the window to see us pulling into our destination.

Without a word, Lin drops off Naru, Mai, and I in front of a luxuriously built house before driving away to find a parking spot.

"What an amazing house!" Mai breathes out in awe.

I nod in reply before following after Naru, waking Mai out of her stupor to follow as well.

A woman with brown hair _– _Noriko Morishita, our client_ –_opens the door for us and welcomes us in before leading us to the living room where two other people stood. I place a hand on the doorway before following Mai and Naru in, instantly feeling a sense of dread.

'This house has seen a lot of death… It also feels like something's trapped here…but what? Or who?'

"I'm sorry to drag you here to my house. It's such a long drive from the city." Noriko apologizes as she walks over to the other two occupants. "This is my sister Kanna." The red-haired woman bows. "And my niece Ayumi." Ayumi blinks at the three of us as Noriko places her hands on Ayumi's shoulders.

Naru, Mai, and I bow in greeting.

"My brother's on a business trip overseas at the moment, so we're all nervous about being in this house by ourselves." Noriko explains as she looks down sadly. Sensing her aunt's uneasiness, Ayumi glances up at Noriko with wide green eyes.

'Green eyes… but they're not the ones from my vision. My vision might have nothing to do with this case… but I can only be sure if I look around more.'

I glance over to Noriko to see her face full of worry. 'This is really bothering her… but it's understandable seeing as things keep moving on their own and the random knocks she keeps hearing.'

"As you can imagine, we're pretty frightened." Noriko adds. Kanna looks at Noriko for a moment before stepping forward.

"I'd like to have a word with your boss."

Naru steps forward. "That would be me. Director Kazuya Shibuya."

Kanna takes a step back in surprise. "Oh… well… I-"

I watch her reaction in amusement. It wasn't an odd reaction considering Naru's age. Not many people would take the news well. Composing herself, she asks her question.

"So what are we looking at here? Do you believe it's a ghost?"

"We will explore all options in our investigation."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**FILE 2:**

**The Doll House – Part 1**

-Scene change: Base-

After setting up the cameras, microphones, and sensors in the rooms, Naru tells me to help Lin with the monitors.

"You sure about that? You know how accident prone I am." I ask skeptically.

He gazes at me evenly, "As long as you don't hack the equipment again. Just make yourself useful, unlike Mai." This earns him a 'hey!' from Mai.

I release a small smile. "No promises." I answer before linking some of the cables to the control box.

Several minutes later…

"How's the set-up for the equipment?" Naru asks from his spot next to Lin.

"All video and audio feeds are transmitting clearly." Lin answers, not taking his eyes away from the monitors.

"Mai and I already set up all the cameras and microphones so we should be clear on the other end as well." I add before noticing two identical scenes on the monitors. "I think we may have routed the same visual from camera 4 to two separate monitors." I lean over Lin, careful not to touch him, to point to two monitors. "Not sure if that's alright with you, but I can set up another camera in the living room at another angle so we won't waste a monitor."

Naru nods. "Then do so."

"I wonder if we're dealing with a poltergeist."

We all turn to Mai, waiting for her to continue.

Mai places a hand on her chin. "Based on Noriko's description…"

"Well you're sounding less and less like an amateur each day now."

At the new, yet familiar voice, I turn to the doorway to see Housho casually leaning against the doorframe with Ayako next to him.

"Monk!"

"Yo!" He sends us a two finger salute.

"As usual, the equipment's overkill." Ayako adds before walking into the room. "So where's that brother of yours?"

"Miss him?" I tease, causing her to release a huff.

"Hardly."

"I'm sure he'll be disappointed to hear that." I comment dryly before continuing. "He has some business to take care of. He'll probably be arriving in a couple of days."

"Huh…" Accepting the answer, Ayako makes her way over to the monitors. "Let me have a look." She places a hand on the desk before leaning forward to view the monitors. After several seconds, she stands and gives a small one-shoulder shrug.

"This is clearly the work of an earth spirit." She concludes flippantly.

"It's obviously a human; the evidence speaks for itself." Mai rebukes, crossing her arms.

"Well look at you." Ayako responds dully.

"Now don't forget," Mai wags her finger from side to side, "that over half of reported poltergeist cases can be attributed to humans. Many of those cases deal with women under great deals of stress." She flips her hand over (palm up), "In this case it might be the woman of the house not getting along with her sister-in-law."

"You mean Noriko-san?" Housho clarifies.

"Of course." Ayako taps her fist into her open palm. "Kanna does seem to be an unpleasant woman to be around."

I frown before glancing over at the two monitors I pointed out before, finding something off about it.

'It could just be a routing error, but I don't make simple mistakes like this. There's something about that living room…'

"What about you Nari?"

I turn towards Mai.

"What do you think is going on?" Mai clarifies.

"Not your theory." I deadpan, causing Mai to give me a look of disbelief.

"Eh? Why do you say that?"

I shrug. "Call it a hunch. That and you're incorrectly profiling Noriko. She doesn't fit the criteria for your theory."

"Well, you're just basing this on a hunch. I at least have some backing." Mai defends.

"It's amateurish at best. In cases where a human is to blame for a poltergeist, the culprit is usually a teenager or an adolescent child. Noriko is already in her twenties, so she doesn't meet the age requirement." Naru explains, not glancing away from the monitors.

"But-"

"Now there are cases of women with strong psychic abilities so I'll consider that in my final decision."

"Why you…"

"Nari, you keep watching the monitors. Is there something you've noticed?" Naru cuts in, earning himself a frustrated groan from Mai.

I let out a small laugh at Mai's frustration before glancing over at him with a small smile. "Nope." I answer, popping the p. "Just annoyed I made such a simple routing mistake."

Naru gazes at me for a moment before returning his gaze to the monitors. "I see."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Living room -

*beep*

"That should do it." I mutter to myself before standing up to see if the camera is positioned correctly. Satisfied, I make a move to leave the room but stop in my tracks when I hear soft knocks on the wall. Frowning, I make my way over to the wall, running my hand down its surface before stopping when I feel a certain portion of the wall radiating heat.

'Everything else is cold… why is this one spot hot?'

I close my eyes, noticing the warmth taking on the shape of a small handprint, about the size of a young child's, before it shifts so that it's pressed against my hand.

'Trapped… whoever you are… you're trapped here.' I pull my hand back before allowing it to rest at my side. My vision blurs.

_[Green eyes. Painted lips. A sinister smile. Static.] _

I blink. 'Green eyes again huh?' I place a hand on my face, feeling my abilities taking a toll on me already. 'Forgot how draining this is without Kaz or Ayumu… or Gene.'

Releasing a small sigh, I finally leave the room.

"Why did I fall for someone like him?" Mai groans as she staggers into the hallway, shoulders hunched over.

'At least she's honest. ' I thought with a grin. 'Still need to figure out how to get Naru and Mai together… I know Naru finds amusement in Mai, but how do I turn that into affection…?'

Mai finally looks up and notices me. She blinks in surprise before realization dawns on her and her face reddens. "Y-you didn't hear that…right?" She laughs uncomfortably.

I tilt my head to the side. "Hear what?" I ask innocently. Mai opens her mouth to respond before closing it again.

"Mai-chan, Nari-chan. Perfect timing." We glance over to see Noriko carrying a tray of tea and snacks. "It's Ayumi's snack time. Would you two like to join me?"

Forgetting her earlier embarrassment, Mai heads over to Noriko. "Of course!"

I send Noriko a smile. "I'd love to."

We follow Noriko up the stairs.

"Ayumi-chan is so cute!" Mai gushes. "Which side of the family does she take after? Her father's?"

"Hmm... probably her mother." Noriko answers after some thought.

I frown. "She doesn't look much like Kanna."

Noriko glances back at me with a sad smile. "Well that's because Kanna's not her birth mother. My brother had her with his previous wife."

Mai's eyes widen. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"Don't worry." We stop in front of Ayumi's door.

*knock*knock*

"Ayumi." Noriko opens the door. "It's snack time. Mai-chan and Nari-chan are here as well."

"Hi Ayumi! Hope you're hungry!" Mai announces as she peeks her head in.

"Hi Ayumi." I send her a soft smile.

Ayumi glances at Mai and me in interest before gathering her doll in her arms and walking toward us.

"It's nice to meet you." She greets sweetly before holding out the doll's arm. Surprise crosses Mai's face before she crouches down to takes the doll's hand.

"Oh, hello. And you are?"

"Minnie." Ayumi smiles, causing Mai to smile as well.

'She's really cute…'

Mai drops Minnie's hand before Ayumi walks towards me.

"Minnie." She holds out the doll's hand to me. I blink in surprise at the doll's familiar green eyes.

'Those eyes… maybe… but I can't think of this now.'

Not wanting to attract attention to myself, I send her a soft smile before holding the doll's hand.

"Nari."

Pain shoots up my arm before it concentrates on the bandaged area of my bicep. I cringe, but do my best to hide my discomfort. Apparently, I failed in that respect.

"Are you alright Nari? You look constipated." Mai asks in concern.

"Yeah…" I let go of Minnie's hand. "Might need to eat more prunes or something. Need that fiber and whatnot." I answer offhandedly.

'That feeling… something's not right with that doll. I need to be careful with it.'

"Uh…yeah. You do that…"

Noriko lets out a small laugh at our exchange before turning to Ayumi.

"So Ayumi are you enjoying your book?"

For some reason, Ayumi tenses before taking a step back in...fear?

Concerned, we all bend down towards her.

"What's wrong? Why don't you have some food okay?" Mai asks.

Ayumi turns around. "I'm not hungry…"

'Her demeanor drastically changed… this isn't a good sign.'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**DAY 1**

**19:00**

-Scene change: Family room-

Naru sets up the lamp test and asks Noriko, Ayumi, and Kanna to take a seat on the couch. Noriko pulls Ayumi on her lap whereas Ayumi holds Minnie in her arms.

"Let's begin." Naru turns on the flashing red light.

"Try to match your breathing to the glow of the light... Nice and slow..."

Ayumi, Noriko, and Kanna stare at the light with a glazed look in their eyes.

"Tonight a vase will move... A small glass vase to be exact... it will be sitting on the table that's in front you now..."

I turn on the light, snapping them out of their daze.

"It's done. Please try to spend the rest of your evening as you would any normal night. Morishita-san, the key?"

"Oh, right..." Kanna gets up from her seat before stopping to focus on the vase in Naru's hand. I glance over at Ayumi and Noriko to see them in a similar state.

'Looks like the suggestion worked… If this experiment fails then it's definitely an independent spirit. But with everything that's been going on… that possibility is a definite.'

After everyone leaves the room, Mai places the vase on the table before drawing a circle around it with chalk.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**DAY 1 **

**21:00 **

-Scene change: Base-

Back at the base, Naru and Lin observe the monitors closely. Mai soon joins them at the monitors with a tray with tea. Sitting backwards on the chair, I gaze at the monitors lazily, feeling the fatigue and pain ebbing away at me. I soon rest my chin on my crossed arms.

'I have to stay awake…'

"Any movement?" Naru asks.

"Not yet." Lin responds.

The door slams open, waking me out of my stupor. I turn around to see Kanna out of breath.

"Come quickly!"

We all run up the stairs and enter Ayumi's room to see all the furniture positioned diagonally.

"When I came up to put Ayumi to bed, I found the furniture like this." Kanna explains.

"Everything's turned diagonally…" Mai observes in shock.

"What's the meaning of this? I thought you people were supposed to stop things like this from happening!"

"Are you sure Ayumi didn't do this?" Ayako questions, causing all of us to turn our gazes to Ayumi. Ayumi looks up at us sadly, still clutching Minnie in her arms. Biting her bottom lip, she glances down at the floor sadly.

'She wants to say something… but something's stopping her. That's the reason why she bit her lip.'

"There's no way she's that strong!" Mai defends.

Crouching down on his knees, Housho examines Ayumi's bed – pushing against it slightly to test its weight. "She's right. The rug's moved as well. Even I don't have that kind of strength."

Naru bends down as well to examine the bed and rug. "I agree... If there's a human capable of this, I'd love to meet him..."

Ayako turns away. "Geez, I was just asking…"

"It wasn't Ayumi." Ayumi pleads, tightening her grip on Kanna's hand. Mai smiles and rubs Ayumi's head.

"We know."

I walk toward Ayumi once Mai drops her hand. Bending down, I place my hands on her arms, ignoring the pain under my bandages.

"It's alright Ayumi. We won't let anything happen to you." I soothe. She sends me a sad smile before looking down sadly at the ground.

'She's hiding something…'

*scream*

Mai and I rush into the living room to see Noriko standing there in shock.

"This time everything's upside down." Mai murmurs as the others enter the room. I crouch down to examine the rug.

"Even the rug's been flipped." I add.

"Classic poltergeist activity." Housho states.

Ayako shrugs. "It's just a simple earth spirit; I'll have it driven out of the house by tomorrow morning. You'll see." Ayako waves off before leaving the room. "Night everyone..."

I merely shake my head.

"Where does she get that confidence?" Mai mutters to herself.

"What's up Naru? You look like you're on to something." Housho observes. I glance over at Naru to see him deep in thought.

"Figured something out?" I reiterate.

He glances at us. "Don't you think this response is a little quick? Paranormal phenomena tend to have an aversion to outsiders. Usually any signs of a haunting back off within the first twenty-four hours of an investigation." Naru explains.

I glance down at my hand. "You're right. This response is fairly quick… like they want to let us know that they're here."

"They?"

'Crap… wasn't supposed to say that…'

I glance over at Naru to see him watching me with a calculating look.

"Explain."

I release a sigh. 'Just say half-truths…'

"There's more than one spirit here…" I answer before shoving my hands into the pockets of my cargo pants.

"You've already established that. Explain. I believe you know the definition of that word right?"

I roll my eyes. "This house has seen a lot of death… The feeling in this house is unsettling at best… I just feel like there's more than one spirit."

"Huh…" Housho scratches the back of his head. "So your creepy hunches still show themselves here? Kaz did say your hunches are never wrong…"

"I see… I'll keep that in mind." Naru states.

"So spirits don't like outsiders?" Mai brings back.

"If you've ever watched those TV shows that cover famous haunted houses, nothing ever substantial happens on camera right?" Housho points out. "Usually the spirits will shy away from the visitor initially, but that's not the case here. I think this is full on hatred."

"Are you thinking the same thing I am?" Naru asks.

"Yeah... The house – more so the spirits in the house – are aware of our presence and are quickly becoming angry with us. So if you couple that with those brazen attempts to scare us off, we're dealing with a poltergeist or several that mean business."

Naru looks away from Housho. "We may have a hard time with this one." He closes his eyes. "From now on, Ayumi's room and the living room are off limits. Noriko," She glances over at Naru. "I suggest having Ayumi stay with you for the time being."

She nods.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**DAY 2**

-Scene change: Base-

The next morning, the vase in the family room was still in its original position.

_Ayako is seen sitting in Ayumi's room in her priestess robes, waving her paper charm side to side._

"_I perform this ritual to beseech the Gods. I call upon them to descend from the Heavens and join us where no Gods dwell to end this ceaseless suffering."_

Naru and Mai continue to watch the monitors whereas I sat in the corner of the room with a sketchpad. I dangle one leg off the edge of my chair while keeping the other tucked to my chest. Tapping the green-colored pencil on the paper, I glance over to see Ayako's exorcism progressing smoothly.

'It's not going to change anything… she's out of her element…' I thought before continuing my sketch.

*scribble*scribble*

'What did that vision show me? A pond… green eyes… glass-like but almost human..'

"_I ask that my humble plea will be heard, to reclaim peace to the spirits trapped in this haunted place."_

My vision blurs.

_[A scream. Fire. A falling shelf. "Noriko!"]_

*snap*

I glance down at my hand to see the pencil snapped in half, causing a frown to enter my face.

**DAY 2 **

**NIGHT **

"Naru, here's the temperature rundown for every room in the house." Mai hands Naru a clipboard with the recorded temperatures while I go back to my sketchpad. Releasing a sigh, I get into my regular position (one knee tucked in and the other leg dangling off the edge of the chair) before flipping through the pages.

'A pond…'

*flipping pages*

'A fire…'

*flipping pages*

'The living room…'

*flipping pages*

'Green eyes…' I place my elbow on the table and my head against my fist.

Naru takes the clipboard without a word and scans the temperatures. "Ayumi's room is a few degrees cooler than most." He turns in his chair and types on his laptop, pulling out a digital blueprint of the house. "The house itself seems to be structurally sound. All the floors are stable. No signs of subterranean water logs so the ground is solid."

"Do you really think it's a... ghost?" Mai asks hesitantly.

"The chances of that are increasing."

"S-seriously?"

"No." I continue to scribble on the page, darkening the edges of the eyes before feeling their eyes on my back. "It's definite now."

"Eh? How-Wait, what are you drawing?" Mai walks over before leaning over my shoulder, but before she could get a good look, Naru swipes it out of my hands. I blink once. Twice.

'Did not see that coming…'

"Hey I was looking at that!" Mai complains before going over to Naru to look at the sketches. "Wow… you actually drew these?"

Naru flips through the pages.

"These are involved in the case…" Naru observes.

"Where did you learn how to draw like that?" Mai faces me.

I look away. "It's just a sketch… but it's something I had to pick up from my brother."

"Kaz?"

I let out a small laugh. "No… Ayumu." I run a hand through my tousled hair. "Compared to him, I'm nothing. He can replicate any image he saw. My drawings are amateurish at best…"

"I wouldn't say that… These drawings are really good. I'm sure if you practiced more, you can get better as well."

"Maybe…" I run a hand through my hair, "Anyway, don't you think there are enough signs to say it's definitely caused by a spirit?"

"Care to explain." Naru asks, still glancing at the sketchpad.

"Your failed test, the room reconfigurations, the drops in temperature, that doll…" I count off with my fingers.

"You mean Minnie?" Mai asks.

"Minnie?" Naru snaps his gaze to mine. Before I can explain, an ear piercing scream fills our ears.

-Scene change: kitchen-

"Kanna-san!" Mai and I call out when we enter the room. Mai leads Kanna back several steps away from the fire.

"T-the flames just burst out s-suddenly." Kanna explains shakily.

"Just get back!" Naru holds out his arm to prevent us from nearing the flames. I glance up at the flames to see them spiraling, rounding up as if ready to attack. "Takigawa!"

Housho comes in with the fire extinguisher and pulls out the safety pin before putting out the fire.

-Time skip-

Coated in ash, Housho sits down against the shelves with a deep sigh, clearly exhausted with the endeavor. I slump onto the ground, bringing my knees to my chest before running a hand through my hair.

'I don't know how much longer I can take this without Kaz…'

Pain runs down my arm. Clenching my teeth, I place my hand over the bandage. 'Something's here…'

I glance up the window to see a child-shaped shadow. The child writes down a message on the window.

_Free me. _

My eyes widen. 'What?'

"Naru! Someone's outside!"

Naru runs to the window and looks out, only to find nothing. He looks back at Mai. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. There was a child outside."

The writing was gone. I grip my head. 'It's just like that time… I'm not…'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Ayumi's room-

Naru, Mai, Housho, and I peer into the room to see Ayumi kneeling in front of Minnie, holding a small blanket.

"Okay, Minnie time for me to tuck you in now."

Before Ayumi places the blanket on Minnie, Naru turns on the lights.

"Ayumi." Noriko kneels in front of her, placing her hands on Ayumi's arms. "Were you just outside?"

"No…"

"Mai saw someone looking through the kitchen window. Now I'm not angry but I just wanted to know if it was you."

"It wasn't."

"Are you telling the truth?" Noriko shakes Ayumi. Fear crosses Ayumi's face before she backs away.

"No I didn't do it. It wasn't me!"

*bang* The room shakes.

"What's happening?" Mai asks, looking frantically around the room.

My eyes widen. 'It's just like…'

"Ayumi didn't do it!"

*bang* The shelf slams into the wall.

'No… the shelf.'

"Stop it!"

*bang*

The shelf slams into the wall again before falling toward Noriko.

"Aunt Nori!"

'Crap..!'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Base-

"So what is that? Two huge failures in a row?" Housho mocks.

Ayako bites her bottom lip before turning and walking away. "So I guess I'm a useless waste of space then, huh?"

I glance over at her sadly from my seat on the couch.

Mai places a hand on her chin. "It's lucky the shelf missed Noriko. I didn't expect the room to shake again."

'Because it wasn't supposed to…'

"So yesterday... what was that?"

"It seemed to react to the little girl's shouting." Housho states as he glances down at Mai. She gazes up at him in confusion. "And it could be tied to the image you saw in the kitchen."

"You mean to say Ayumi is the culprit?" Naru clarifies.

"Possibly, but the hypnotic suggestion test showed us the culprit isn't human. How much confidence do you put in that test of yours anyway?"

"One hundred percent."

Mai glances between the two of them.

"Is it possible the suggestion failed?"

"There's no way."

"You know you've been wrong before."

"It's not her…" I mumble, but no one hears me.

Lin glances back at Naru. "Kazuya, the temperature in Ayumi's room is dropping again."

"Lin, more sound!"

Lin complies, filling the room with knocking sounds.

*knock*knock*rumble*knock*

"That's intense." Housho comments. Getting up from my seat, I approach the monitors.

"Have you checked the thermal image?" I ask. Lin complies and sets up the image on one of the laptops before turning it over to Naru.

"Incredible...!"

I face Naru. "What's going on?"

"The temperature in Ayumi's room is dropping unbelievably fast."

I lean over Naru's shoulder to see the room covered in cold spots. "It's impossible for a human to do this."

Naru nods. "It's not Ayumi, that's for sure."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

I walk out the front door before pulling out my phone. Closing my eyes, I search for Ayumu's deceased spirit, only to hear nothing. I smile.

'You're still alive…'

*ring*

I glance down at the phone to see Kaz's name flash across the screen.

"Hello?"

"*static* Nari? You sound drained. You didn't try _that _did you?"

I let a small laugh. "What can I say, I never do learn."

I hear a sigh on the other side of the phone. I can image him pinching the bridge of his nose at the moment.

"I understand. *sigh* Everything's taken care of for the moment so I'll arrive tomorrow. Anything I need to be made aware of?"

"Yes. Get ready to do an exorcism."

"I see… anything else?"

"I have told you how much I hate dolls right?"

"… (Pause) Yes. You've been dreadfully vocal of that dislike lately. I'm assuming that plays a role in this case?"

"You have no idea…"

I hear laughter on the other side of the phone. "Very well. Take care of yourself until I arrive. I'm sure you understand by now that your body can't handle much stress in its current condition."

"Yeah…"

"See you soon Nari."

"Bye Kaz."

*click*

Running a hand through my hair, I make my way back into the base to see Naru and Lin observing the monitors. I take a step forward before my vision blurs, causing me to grab the nearby chair to right myself.

'I overdid it…'

"Woah there." My vision clears, showing me Housho's concerned face. "You alright? You seem a bit out of it there. This stuff not keeping you awake at night right?" He teases lightly in the end but still retains his concerned expression.

I wave off his concern. "I just need to rest." He sends me a skeptical look before helping me up.

"If you say so… but hey, don't push yourself too hard alright? We're all working hard to solve this case."

I send him a small smile.

"I know." I walk over to the couch before flipping through my sketchbook, stopping on the page with Minnie's green eyes. Releasing a sigh, I toss the sketchbook onto the table.

'I have to get this over with soon… I can't risk Ayumi getting hurt.'

"Hey Naru? You remember when I mentioned Ayumi's doll right?"

"Minnie?" He clarifies before walking over to me.

"Yup." I respond, popping the p. "There's something off about that doll."

"Is that so?"

'I have to be careful with what I say from here on… can't tip him off…'

"Every time I'm around that doll, I get uneasy. When Mai and I first met Ayumi, her behavior drastically changed after I touched her doll. It was like something told Ayumi to back away from us. As for when her room was reconfigured, Ayumi bit her bottom lip when Ayako accused her of moving the furniture in the room. She was hiding something from us. She wanted to tell us, but something stopped her."

Naru takes a moment to examine me before reaching over to look at the picture on the sketchpad.

He takes on a thoughtful look when he trails his hand over the picture's surface.

"Those are large speculations off minor details." Naru finally responds. I make a move to retort but he cuts me off. "But I will keep them in mind."

'That's probably the best I can get out of him.'

"Alright." I get up from the couch. "Oh, Kaz said he'll be coming up sometime tomorrow… he-" I pause.

"Nari?"

My vision blurs and I fall forward.

"Oi!"

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Mindscape-

I crack open my eyes to see an endlessly clear sky. Sitting up, I glance around to see myself in area with checkered black and white tiles with random metal beams jutting out of the ground.

"Nari."

I glance over to see Gene standing several feet away from me.

I blink.

'Why is he here? I must be imaging this…'

Frowning, I rub my eyes before glancing over at Gene once again.

Yup, he was still there.

I finally stand, albeit shakily. "Gene? What are you doing here?"

Concern enters his face as he makes his way over to me. He stops, taking the time to gaze at my face.

"I'm just visiting." He takes my hand, filling me with the familiar warmth. "You really are just like Naru…" He murmurs. I blink before grimacing.

"I'm nothing like that narcissist." I pout, earning a small chuckle in response.

"You may be surprised. You're both nerds."

I stick out my tongue. "I prefer the term mentally inclined." We both stare at each other for a moment before sharing a laugh.

I send him a soft smile before stepping forward to embrace him. Surprise flashes through his face for a moment before he returns it.

"Sorry about this… I'm just really drained. So… just let me stay like this for a little bit."

He runs his hand through my hair. "Don't worry about it. You've been through a lot. Kaz came back this morning so he'll be heading here soon."

"Ok…" I mumble, pressing myself more against Gene. "Ayumi's in danger… that doll of hers is dangerous. It's housing one of the spirits trapped in this house."

"I know. I came by to warn Mai."

My eyes widen. 'So that's why he's here…' I close my eyes. 'What's with this feeling… my chest feels… heavy?'

"She seems to have fallen for Naru pretty hard." Gene adds, satisfaction leaking into his voice.

I smile sadly. 'Do you mean Naru or you?'

"I better wake up." I mumble before pushing myself away from Gene. Turning away from him I glance at the metal beams – noticing them closing off the area, almost caging us. "Arigato for coming here to help. I really do appreciate it Gene." I turn around to give him a small smile, though I knew it didn't reach my eyes.

With that, everything fades into darkness.

**EVENING**

-Scene change: Guest room-

I crack open my eyes to see myself in one of the guest rooms in the house. Running a hand through my hair, I stand up from the bed, noticing the lack of pain and fatigue in my system.

'Just like Kaz and Ayumu. Arigato Gene.' I pick up my glasses from the bedside table and perch them on my nose. 'You really are something… Now it's time to get this case moving.'

As I walk through the hallway, I see Ayumi clutching Minnie desperately as she faces Naru.

"Don't you ever touch her again!" Ayumi warns before speeding past me and up the stairs.

"Ayumi!" Noriko calls out.

I walk into the room and lean against the door frame.

"So you're raping dolls now Naru? Guess I should have given Minnie the rape whistle instead of Mai."

Everyone turns their attention to me.

Naru sighs. "Don't say that."

Mai's face reddens in embarrassment before she covers it with her hands.

*laughs* "I'd love to hear that story. So did you get a nice rest, hime?" Housho jokes. I freeze. "You really scared us you know, passing out all of a sudden. You need to take care of yourself better."

I nod stiffly. "Yeah… I guess I really did need to rest…" I trail off before frowning. "Don't call me that."

A puzzled look enters his face. "But Kaz calls you that. Seems fitting considering how much trouble you get into."

I roll my eyes. "It's an old nickname I despise with a passion. Kaz uses it just to piss me off."

"Huh."

"Anyway, what are we going to do with Minnie?" I ask before crossing my arms.

"Wait, how do you know about Minnie?" Mai asks, "You were asleep when we were talking about it."

I tap my temple. "Hunch."

'So something substantial has shown itself… about time.'

"That's creepy…"

I simply smile in response.

'You have no idea.'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

Later that night…

After Mai 'borrows' Minnie from Ayumi, she places it in Ayumi's room.

_Minnie sits on top of Ayumi's bed. _

"So that's Minnie, huh? I'm surprised the little squirt let you take her." Housho comments as he watches the monitors with Lin, Naru, Mai, and I.

Mai lets out an uncomfortable laugh. "To be honest, we didn't actually get her permission..." She glances at the monitors. "She sure is creepy…"

"I agree… man, I hate dolls." I grumble. "They're trouble magnets."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, dolls were originally supposed to be vessels to trap human souls. Because they're soulless and empty, spirits can easily possess them." Housho explains before leaning toward Naru. "So Naru, are we going to sit around and watch this doll all night?"

Naru stands up from his seat, gazing intently at the monitors. I follow his gaze.

_Minnie lies face down on the bed. _

"..Minnie...! No way, it was just sitting there a minute ago..." Mai states.

_The doll slowly drags against the bed, as if something's pulling it. _

_*rustle*_

_*rustle*_

_*rustle*_

_Minnie's head detaches itself from the neck and turns around, showing us her face. The head continues to roll off the bed before hitting the camera._

_*bam*_

Mai screams.

_Minnie's face covers the entire monitor. _

I narrow my eyes. 'So you want us to back off.' I place my hand on my side, feeling the gun hidden behind my vest. 'I won't… not this time.'

I glance over at Naru to see him staring at the monitor in defiance, as if he was challenging the spirit directly. I can't help the smile that appears on my face. 'Looks like the challenge's been issued by the both of us.'

_*static*_

_*click*_

The screen goes to black.

* * *

**AN: So that's the end of this chapter. Some new components about Nari's been revealed and the emotional side of things has been explored a bit. Next up, Kaz is going to be performing his version of an exorcism. If anyone has anything they want to see in the later chapters, feel free to leave some input. I'll take them into consideration. Hopefully this chapter was enjoyable and worth the wait. Until next time… **

**Ja ne.~**

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

Review responses:

_Twilight Dark Angel: Hi again. :D Thanks for the compliment. That really means a lot. I didn't know there was a sequel so thanks for mentioning that to me. I looked up the manga and saw that they had three chapters of it up. I know there are some sites out there that have English versions of the White Heart Series, but they're at about chapter 3 too. Do you know where I can read the whole thing? Hopefully this chapter doesn't disappoint. _

_AssailantAngel: Thanks for taking the time to review. I appreciate it. So far, I plan on writing some new cases in between the cannon ones, but I probably won't start with that until after the third case. But I do see what you're saying. New cases would really make the story interesting and I hope my first attempt at doing that will turn out well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. _

_RAZHEL: I'm glad you loved the last chapter as well and I appreciate the review. I'm still trying to learn how to vary my sentences since I have a tendency to overcomplicate it sometimes. Still, I'm glad you like my writing style. Hopefully this chapter was enjoyable as well. _

_XXluvyaforevaXX: First off, thanks for the review. As for your question, the story Nari and Kaz told to Housho (A.K.A. Monk/Bou-san) was a cover story (but I'm not saying why). There's a reason why Nari's careful with what she says, but there are times where things slip out. The reasoning behind this is because half of her wants to help others while the other half wants to protect just herself. Those two sides war against each other and due to this, she slips and reveals more information that she should at the time. Naru catches these moments and he's trying to figure Nari out. We'll just have to see how long that takes. :p _

_Darkspirit18:Hi :D I really appreciate the spelling mistakes you caught for me and the corrections have been made. I'm really glad you like the story so far and will continue to read and review. Hopefully this story has been worth the wait and I wish you the best for your story as well. _

_Jem Juliette Jewels Jade: Hi again. =) Thanks for the review and your input on the pairings. I'll keep that in mind. I feel like Nari is going to have a complicated emotional life considering how things are going between Naru, Mai, Nari, and Gene. But for sure, things will get interesting. _

_bored411:Hi again. =) Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter as well and I appreciate the review. I'm a bit new in the romantic department so I'm having some trouble with figuring out the somewhat intimate scenes between Nari and Gene. I appreciate any advice you can give me on that. Things will start picking up between the characters in the third case from what I have planned so far. Well, not sure what else to say… I guess I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. (^.^) _


	5. File 2: The Doll House Part 2

**AN: I'm back. (^.^) I'm finally done with summer school so I can get back to writing stories. I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to give this story a chance. In this chapter, Kaz gets to do an exorcism of his own, so hopefully that turns out well. Now on with the story. (^.^**)

{~}

**Notes:**

_[Visions]_

_'Video events'_

'Thoughts'

"Normal conversation"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of the characters except my Oc's. All rights of the picture used in the cover belong to the artist.**

* * *

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**FILE 2:**

**The Doll House – Part 2**

**DAY 3**

**(First person perspective – Nari) **

"We lost connection." Naru frowns.

Gritting his teeth, Housho bolts out of the room, causing Mai to send a worried glance his way.

"Wait!" Mai calls after him before she runs out of the room as well.

"Mai!" I call out to her, but she keeps running. I let out a sigh before running after her.

We both climb the stairs to Ayumi's room to see Housho staring at Minnie sitting perfectly on the bed; no missing head, no disheveled hair, nothing. Exactly the way Mai positioned her in the first place.

"I don't believe it…" Mai breathes out.

"Yeah... It somehow moved back in to its original position..." Housho adds before the area under my bandage begins to sting.

'It's back.'

"No surprise. It's still as creepy as ever…" I mutter.

"This is common."

We all glance back to see Naru glancing calmly over at Minnie.

"Spirits and technology don't mix."

"Yeah we sorta figured that…" Housho comments before rubbing the back of his head.

"How's Ayumi doing?" Naru turns to me.

"She's still asleep."

I let out a sigh. "That's good…." I turn to the others, "so who's going to give Minnie back to Ayumi so she doesn't freak out tomorrow morning?"

Housho and Mai share a look before facing me with a smile. I knew that look.

"Oh no… I'm not going anywhere near that creepy doll." I wave my hands in front of my face in a 'no' gesture.

"Well I brought her over…" Mai muses before a mischievous gleam enters her eyes. "So I'll leave it to you." Mai pats me on the shoulder. "Good luck."

"Eh?" I gawk before she leaves the room with Housho in tow.

"Wish you the best Nari." Housho calls out, sending me back a wave.

"Wait!"

The two ignore me and keep going, causing me to slump my shoulders before turning hesitantly to face Minnie. I swear. That doll was laughing at me… don't ask me how, but she was. Watching her, I slowly creep over before gripping the fabric of her dress with just two of my fingers and dangling her as far away from me as possible – already feeling the stinging under my bandages increasing.

"You're unbelievable." I turn to the door to see Naru giving me a deadpan expression.

"Then you take her." I shove Minnie in his face, causing him to release an annoyed huff.

"I believe that's your job unless you're inept at hearing." He takes a step away from me.

I roll my eyes. "Yeah… wouldn't want you to rape the doll now. Ayumi wouldn't want that." I pull Minnie away from his face, but make sure to clock him on the head with her as I exit the room. Satisfied with the annoyed sigh escaping from him, I make my way to Noriko's room with Minnie.

'Serves you right.'

I thought before the stinging increases. Clenching my free hand, I try to block out the pain before peering over at Minnie to see her staring at me.

'This is why I hate dolls… they just keep staring at you. Kaz… when you get here, you better destroy this thing.'

When I make it to Ayumi's bedside, I see her peaceful expression, causing my expression to soften.

'You shouldn't be going through this… and I shouldn't give this back to you… but' *sigh* 'I will for now.'

Glancing over at Minnie, I begrudgingly place my hands on her – immediately feeling my skin burn.

*gasp*

Biting my bottom lip to muffle the noise, I quickly place Minnie back at Ayumi's side before stepping away and gripping my arm.

'It's gotten worse… but I got what I needed…' I face Minnie with an even gaze, noticing with disdain her eyes still watching me. 'I know who you are Minnie…' Lowering my hand to my side, I make my way out of the room only to have my vision blur.

_[A scream. A dislocated ankle. A handprint.] _

I shake my head to clear my vision, finding myself on the floor on my knees. 'Things are getting more dangerous… but I didn't see the target. I'll just have to keep a look out.' I place a hand on the table before faking a stumble to attach the silver disk (from my bracelet) under the table.

'Everything's set.'

Standing up, I walk out of the room before closing the door with a small click. Releasing a sigh, I run a hand through my tousled hair before sliding down against the door, seeing my vision swimming once again.

'I really am pushing it…' I glance down at my hand to see it blurring in and out. Then nothing.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**DAY 4**

-Scene change: Guest room-

Releasing a small groan, I crack open my eyes to find myself in one of the guest rooms in the house.

'What time is it?' I place a hand to my head before slowly sitting up to reach for my fake glasses on the bedside table only to find them missing.

'Where-'

"Had a nice rest, hime?" I pause for a moment before chucking a pillow at Kaz's head, only to have him catch it easily.

"Still not fully awake I see." He muses.

I run a hand through my tousled hair. "When did you *yawn* get here?"

"Early morning. I don't recall you ever finding enjoyment sleeping against a door." He makes his way over to me before perching my glasses on my nose. I frown before shoving a pillow in his face when he sits on the bed.

"I don't and don't call me that." I let go of the pillow, allowing it to plop back on my lap before sticking out my tongue. He merely lets out a chuckle before messing up my hair.

"I don't believe I will." His expression becomes serious. "You shouldn't have taken those risks without me around. What would you have done if someone else found you out in the hallway?"

"Nothing really." I shrug. "They've already seen me pass out. They think it's due to overwork so I'm still in the clear."

He turns away before releasing a sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose. "What am I going to do with you?"

I let out a laugh before draping myself over his shoulders, relishing in the warmth from the contact. "You're used to it."

He shakes his head. "Unfortunately so. You should put your contacts back on before we get down to business. I know you've already set some things into motion."

I blink before pulling away slightly to send him a quizzical look. "You took out my contacts…?" I ask dryly before shaking my head. "I know we're close, but that's a bit…"

"Unusual?" He fills in.

"No. Creepy." I deadpan, "You feel around on my eye when I'm sleeping… that's just..."

"Nari, I've seen everything of you so there's nothing new." I blanch. "Recall who it was that helped you through your first menstrual cycle."

"… Shut up."

He releases an amused chuckle before turning to face me. "You're too easy to tease." He pulls out a contact case from his pocket and hands it to me. "I do like your eyes as they are right now, but we have to keep up appearances, no?"

I let out a smile before taking the case. "Of course."

-Time skip-

After getting ready for the day, I update Kaz on the events so far. His expression darkens when I tell him about the stinging sensations but it quickly disappears into an amused expression.

"I see." He places a hand on his chin before getting up from the chair to sort through his luggage. "It appears I was correct in assuming you would need this." He pulls out my laptop and hands it to me before pulling out two sets of headphones.

"You always think ahead." I compliment before booting up the laptop and pulling out the correct program to listen to the recordings from the bug.

"With you, it's always good to be prepared." I hear several clicks before the pulling of numerous zippers. Confused, I turn around to see a first aid kit the size of a large suitcase.

*sweat drop*

"That's … excessive don't you think?" I grimace. He turns to face me with a pleasant smile.

"With you, never." I didn't like the happiness leaking into this voice. Huffing, I turn back to my laptop before attaching the headphones to the corresponding jacks. Not glancing back, I hold out the headphone for Kaz before pulling out the audio feed from the bug.

After waiting several seconds for Kaz to put them on, I hit the play button.

_08:45_

_*static*_

_*knock*knock*rustle*_

"_Ayumi, it's snack time." _

_*knock*creak*_

"…"

"_What's wrong? You haven't eaten any of the snacks I brought. Do you not like them?" Noriko asks. _

"_I…I'm not hungry." Ayumi answers sadly._

_*rustle*_

"_Are you sure? Do you want me to leave them here just in case you change your mind?" _

"…_No… I'm ok." _

"… _Alright… Ayumi, if something's bothering you, you can tell onee-chan alright?" _

"…"

_*sigh*_

_*click*_

"… _Aunt Nori…" Ayumi mumbles sadly. _

_*static* _

I frown before fumbling around the table to find my sketchbook but with no such luck. 'I must have left it at the base…' I slump my shoulders before glancing over at the screen to see several vibrations in the normal flat line of the audio feed.

'It's picking up something else.'

I turn up the volume.

_09:00_

_*knock*knock*_

_*rustle*rustle*_

_*odd moaning noise*_

_*weeping*_

_Silence. _

"_I don't want…" Ayumi mumbles to herself._

I flinch at the volume. Noticing my discomfort, Kaz lowers it.

"_It's for the best Ayumi." A child-like voice consoles her. _

Kaz and I send each other a look before turning our attention back to the audio feed.

"_This house is full of evil witches." The voice continues._

"_Even Aunt Nori?"_

"_Auntie's one of the witch's minions."_

"_But I want onee-chan to stay with me; she's my friend."_

"_No, no. I'll take care of them for you. So in return, you just have to listen to what I say, okay?"_

_*click*_

"_Ayumi-chan!" Mai pauses before softening her voice. "Who were you just talking to just then?"_

"_Minnie."_

"_Just Minnie?" Mai asks skeptical._

"_And other kids as well." Ayumi pauses. "But… they're gone…"_

"…_Is that so? I guess they don't like me very much… say, Ayumi-chan how long have these friends been coming over?"_

"_I don't know…" Ayumi mumbles sadly. _

"_Is Minnie friends with all these kids too?"_

"_Minnie brought them here."_

"…"

I turn off the sound, knowing we heard everything we needed for now. Frowning, I turn to Kaz and take off his headphones.

"Now do you see why I asked you to burn all the dolls we owned?"

He shakes his head before taking off my headphones.

"Yes, yes. Whatever helps you sleep." I roll my eyes. "It seems we'll have a little trouble with this site-bound spirit. It's obvious from the recordings the main culprit isn't Minnie. You said you figured out Minnie's true identity?"

I shrug. "Partly. It's a bit hazy but I know she was the first child who died in this house." I place a hand over my eyes. "I remember the girl's face… so if I see her picture, I'll be able to point it out."

Kaz nods. "It looks like we will have to do some digging." He stands up before holding a hand out to me. "Now hime, I believe it's time to join the others. Wouldn't want them to think you're slacking now."

I roll my eyes before taking his hand. "Don't call me that…"

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Base-

"So what's the story on this house? Is it notorious for being haunted?" Ayako asks as she glances up at the ceiling.

"That's not that main issue here." Kaz states, earning the attention of the others in the room. "It's the doll, isn't it?"

"Kaz?" Mai turns to us in surprise. "When did you get here?"

"Just this morning. Why are you so surprised?" He looks at Mai quizzically. "Did you really miss me that much?" He finishes with a small chuckle, earning a blush from Mai.

"Pft. Hardly." Ayako snips, earning a smirk from Kaz.

"I'm glad we're on the same page for once." This earns him a glare.

Housho lets out a small chuckle. "Am I glad to see you again." He pats Kaz on the shoulder. "I'm guessing Nari caught you up on what's been going on huh?"

"Of course."

"Then we're all on the same page." Housho faces all of us again. "As Kaz said, the main thing we should worry about is that doll." He turns to Mai. "You said the kid claimed it was Minnie that brought over the invisible friends, didn't she?"

"Yeah…"

Housho turns to Naru. "Can a spirit possess a doll and communicate through it?"

Naru stands up from his chair. "It is a definite possibility. Do you want to try and get rid of it, Takigawa?"

Housho smirks. "I'd like nothing more than to take down that doll."

I frown, getting a bad feeling. I glance over to the table to see my sketchbook still open to Minnie's green eyes.

'Something's not right… it feels too easy.'

-Times skip-

**19:00**

_Housho is sitting in Ayumi's old room in his robes. Holding his hands together in a prayer, he closes his eyes. _

"_Namaku Sanban basara dan. Secde makrouarou shata a tarata, Kan man. Namucasa mandabouta Kara unbarun. Untsunba Muntsunba Unbazarun hata." He chants. _

Mai, Kaz, Naru, and I watch the monitors as Housho continues his mantras.

*scream*

Mai and I bolt out of the room before heading up the stairs to see Noriko on the ground. Housho runs over as well.

"Noriko-san! What happened?" Mai asks.

"My...foot." She grounds out.

Housho and I kneel down to see her ankle swelling.

"Her ankle is dislocated." Housho observes.

"Someone… pulled my ankle really hard."

I glance down at her foot to see a child-sized handprint wrapped around her ankle. I bite my bottom lip before I see Kaz walk up the stairs with an ice compress. Kneeling down, he helps Noriko sit before wrapping the compress around her ankle, muttering apologizes when she flinches from the contact.

"It'll help get the swelling down for now, but we need to get you to a hospital." He explains. She nods weakly before he helps her stand. "Housho, get changed. We'll take her to the hospital."

"Right." He bolts out of the hallway, leaving Mai and I alone with Kaz and Noriko.

"Nari, I trust you'll behave in the instances I'll be away." He sends me a soft smile, telling me there wasn't much I could have done to prevent this. I clench my teeth before relaxing.

*sigh*

"You know I can't promise that, but I'll be able to take care of myself." He shakes his head.

"Just remember." He places his index finger on his head while keeping the thumb pointed up, the universal sign for a gun. "You have one shot. Make it count."

I nod, ignoring the confused looks sent our way.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Noriko's room-

**20:00**

Mai and I sit next to Ayumi on the bed whereas Naru gazes down at her with his arms crossed.

Ayumi looks up at Naru. "Where's Minnie?"

"She's going to be with me for a while. Now, I need you to tell me all there is to know about your new friends, okay?" Naru asks.

"Give her back to me!"

"How long has Minnie been talking?"

"Give her back! You can't take my friend away from me!"

Ayumi pauses when she notices Naru's cold expression.

"Listen Ayumi, Noriko-san is hurt and Minnie did it to her. Now talk!"

Ayumi stiffens before she hunches over and cries. Mai pulls Ayumi over before embracing her.

"I don't believe you! You just yelled at a little girl and made her cry!"

"That's not the problem here, is it?"

"Yelling at her isn't going to solve anything." I stand up. "Look, she's afraid. She can't say anything or Minnie will hurt her."

"You've said this before. So tell me, how do you know this?"

'Crap…' I bite my bottom lip.

"G-gomenasai." We all turn to Ayumi.

"N-nari's right. *sniff*sniff* Minnie told me not to say anything! If I made friends, s-she would hurt me! *sniff*sniff* Gomenasai."

'Ayumi…' I sit back on the bed and stroke her hair.

"Shh… it's alright." I soothe, "Naru, Mai, and I… no, everyone's going to make sure nothing will happen to you. So please Ayumi…let us help."

She nods before pulling away from Mai.

"When did Minnie start talking to you?" Naru asks again, but gentler.

"When we moved into this house… S-she told me that oto-san was Kanna's slave and they were trying to kill me…a-and that onee-chan was helping them…*sniff* but Minnie said she would protect me as long as I didn't make any other friends… If I forget my promise and play with onee-chan, she'd hide my things and mess up my room."

"That's so mean!" Mai comments.

I frown but continue to stroke Ayumi's hair, seeing as it calmed her down.

"And was it around this time that Minnie started to invite other friends to the house as well?" Naru asks.

Ayumi nods. "Yeah, lots of them. Kids around my age... Minnie says her friends are her servants." Her expression saddens.

I pause. 'Servants… so the spirits of children are bring collected for some reason…'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Base-

Housho, Kaz, Naru, Mai, Ayako, and I stand in front of the black computer chair where Minnie sits.

"She's definitely causing this. It makes me wonder if the previous owner died of an illness and possessed the doll." Housho muses.

Ayako shudders. "That thing gives me the creeps. This is exactly why I've hated dolls since I was a child." Ayako comments as she fidgets.

"It needs to burn." I deadpan.

Mai sends me an exasperated expression.

"T-that's a bit much, isn't it?"

I shake my head. "Nope." I pop the p. "We need to destroy it so this spirit doesn't have a vessel to use."

"I agree." I turn to Naru to see him sending me a calculating look. "Minnie is only being used as a vessel; she's not the actual cause of everything that's been occurring."

I return his gaze evenly.

'I gave away too much too soon… he's getting suspicious.'

"It seems the site-bound spirits are to blame then." We all turn to Kaz. "We now know for certain the presence of multiple spirits in this house. We just need to figure out which one is the ringleader and which ones are merely trapped."

Naru nods. "Until we discover its true identity, Ayumi is in grave danger…"

I glance over to Minnie, feeling the area under the bandages stinging.

'Gene said the same thing…'

"Mai-chan! Nari-chan!"

I snap out of my thoughts and bolt out of the door with Mai in tow to see Kanna and Noriko gazing fearfully at the wall. I match their gaze before widening my eyes.

**I will punish the bad child.**

'This isn't good…'

"Ayumi spoke about something she wasn't supposed to." I turn to see Naru gazing at the writing calmly. "Minnie thinks Ayumi betrayed her so this is expected." He turns to Mai and me. "Mai, Nari, stay close to Ayumi."

Mai and I share a look before sending Naru a nod.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**DAY 5**

-Scene change: Backyard-

Mai and I sit next to Noriko on the porch as we watch Ayumi play in the grass. A smile enters my face as I sketch the scene before me.

*scribble*scribble*

Mai leans toward Noriko before whispering, "They're removing the graffiti right now." Noriko smiles.

*scribble*scribble*

'Naru told Ayako to wash off the writing. I guess he didn't want Ayumi to see it.' My smile deepens. 'He's not so bad after all…'

"No way. Get serious Mai... Not in a million years..."

I blink before facing Mai with a confused expression. Noriko follows suit. Finally noticing our stares, Mai lets out a nervous laugh.

"It's nothing!" She waves her hands in front of her face. "I was just talking to myself. I tend to do that sometimes. Heh... Heh..." She rubs the back of her head nervously.

**{~}**

-Meanwhile… with Kaz and Housho-

-Scene change: Outside in front of a waste bin-

**(First person perspective – Kazama)**

"Looks like Nari's getting her wish huh?" Housho comments as he starts a fire in the waste bin.

I let out a chuckle. "She tends to get her way. But I do agree with her. Minnie needs to be disposed of." I frown before glancing down at the shoe box containing Minnie.

'This seems too easy…'

*crackle*crackle*

"Hey, something on your mind?"

I nod. "Doesn't this appear to be too easy? If Minnie is able to influence her surroundings to the extent that we've seen, she can't be destroyed by a simple flame."

"Huh… you do have a point…" Housho scratches the back of his head. "But I think this will be enough. If not, then you can step up and take a crack at it."

I smirk. "Very well." I hand Housho the box. "It's your turn."

Housho smiles in response before his expression falls once he opens the box to glance down at Minnie.

Closing his eyes, he chants, "Ontsunba Nitsunba unbazarun hata jakku unban koku." Opening his eyes, he closes the box before tossing it into the flames.

I watch the flames in silence before they die off into smoke.

**{~}**

-Back to the backyard-

**(First person perspective – Nari)**

I let out a small smile. 'Mai must have been thinking of Naru, or was it Gene?' My smile falls. 'Why does my chest feel heavy…?'

Noriko lets out a small laugh. "You two have been a big help. Arigato Mai-chan, Nari-chan."

I send her a pleasant smile before continuing with my drawing, trying to shake the last thought out of my head. 'It's probably nothing…'

*scribble*scribble*

"No problem. I know how hard this has been on you, especially with Kanna leaving." Mai adds.

Noriko's expression falls slightly. Noticing Noriko's saddened expression, Ayumi comes running over.

"How's your foot doing Auntie?"

Noriko smiles. "Much better." She lifts up her foot. "Actually once you started being friends with me again, the pain went away."

Ayumi smiles. "That's great! I'm going to pick some flowers for you." She turns to Mai. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Sounds fun." Mai gets up.

"What about you Nari? Do you want to pick some flowers?" Ayumi looks up at me with hopeful eyes, causing me to stop my drawing.

I shake my head. "You go on ahead. I want to finish this drawing for you." Her eyes light up.

"Really? I want to see." She hops up and down before trying to sneak a peek, causing me to pull the sketchbook out of her reach.

"Nuh uh. You'll see it when I finish." She pouts, causing me to let out a small laugh. I pat her on the head. "Don't worry. It'll be worth the wait. Why don't you go with Mai to pick some flowers ok?" Her smile returns.

"Ok!" Ayumi takes Mai's hand and pulls her to the flower garden.

*scribble*scribble*

Noriko looks over my shoulder. "Wow… Nari-chan. I think Ayumi will love it."

I nod. "I hope so. But this isn't what I want to give her."

*flip pages*

"This is the picture I want to give her. It's to remind her that she'll always have you looking out for her."

Noriko eyes widen in surprise before a soft smile enters her face.

"Ah!"

Hearing Ayumi's cry, Noriko and I look over to the flower garden to see Mai pulling Ayumi's hands out of the dirt.

'What's going on?'

I place down my sketchbook and stand.

Ayumi takes a step back before running away.

"Ayumi!" I call out as I run after her.

"She's running straight for the pond!" Noriko warns.

My eyes widen.

'The pond? Wait, my vision… I can't let her get near the water!'

**{~}**

-At the same time… Kaz and Housho run into a little problem-

-Scene change: Outside in front of waste bin-

**(First person perspective – Kazama)**

"No way... I watched you burn myself..." Housho mutters as he stares at Minnie's unscathed form in the ashes.

I walk up to Housho. "Unfortunately I was correct in my assumption." He turns to face me. "Minnie's the vessel of a strong spirit… seeing as she's still in perfect condition, we'll need to exorcise her out."

I cross my arms. "I'm not saying you failed. It seems this spirit may have some immunity to your mantras…"

Housho's eyes widen before he glances back at Minnie. "Then the spirit must have practiced Buddhism when he … or she was alive."

"She." I correct, earning a confused glance. "Nari's hunch." I sigh out.

"She hasn't been wrong yet huh?"

"No." I tense, feeling a heaviness settle in my chest. "Nari."

"Wha- hey where are you going?" Housho calls out as I run to the backyard.

"To Nari. Take care of Minnie until I get back!" I call back, not waiting for a response.

'Nari, you knew this would happen, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me?'

**{~}**

-Back with Nari-

-Scene change: Backyard-

**(First person perspective – Nari)**

"Minnie I'm sorry! Don't be mad at me!" Ayumi cries out as she runs toward the pond.

'It looks like something's chasing her, but only she can see it. I don't see anything…'

Ayumi stops at the edge of the pond before turning around.

"Please…" Ayumi pleads as she backs up. "Please don't hurt me. I'm sorry!"

She backs up too much and falls backwards into the water.

*splash*

"Ayumi!" I jump into the water before resurfacing.

*splash*

I turn around to see Mai swimming over.

"Where is she?" Mai asks panicked.

"Ah!" *gurgle*

I turn around to see Ayumi fighting to stay afloat before she suddenly submerges. Taking in a breath, I dive into the water before wrapping my arms around her torso and pulling her up to the surface.

*cough*cough*

Ayumi sputters out the water from her lungs before wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Ayumi!" Mai swims over to us, relief evident on her face.

A hand wraps around my calf, sending jolts of pain to my arm.

'Crap…!'

Keeping my breathing even, I face Mai. "Mai, take Ayumi." I pass Mai Ayumi, noticing Ayumi's reluctance to let go. "I'll-"

I didn't get a chance to finish; the hand jerks me under the water.

"Nari!"

I hear Mai's panicked voice then the sound of sloshing water.

I glance down to see a dismembered hand holding me under the water. 'I can't hold my breath forever…' I pull out my gun before cocking it at the hand. 'One shot…'

I pull the trigger, feeling a large pillar of air bubbles rush past me, then nothing. 'That should-' I didn't get a chance to complete the thought as two hands clench my throat, causing the skin under the bandages to burn. Clenching my teeth, I place the gun at what I assumed to be the child's stomach before pulling the trigger once more – feeling a stream of rushing air bubbles rush past me.

'… I now know your name.'

_Free me…_

My eyes widen before a jolt runs through my body.

*ba-dump**ba…dump*

'I overdid it again…' I try to surface but my limbs won't respond.

'She…' I slowly close my eyes – feeling myself sink deeper and deeper into the water – before a hand grabs my wrist.

'Who?'

"Nari, you need to wake up." I open my bleary eyes to see Gene's worried expression. "You have to wake up Nari."

'Gene?' My eyes slowly fall but he pulls me up and rests me on what I assume to be the ground. "Please… wake up."

'I don't understand… aren't I awake?'

"You're not awake right now… so please… wake up." He face gets closer but that's all I see before another jolt runs through my body.

"Nari!" I feel someone shaking my body, but I can't open my eyes.

"Nari! Mai!"

"Kaz?!"

"I'll take care of her."

Someone lifts one of my eyelids, allowing me to see two blurry figures.

"She's still conscious." A hand rests on the side of my neck, filling me with a familiar warmth. "There's still a pulse, but it's weak." I hear a sigh. "I can't believe she's still breathing. That's a miracle in and of itself. This girl…"

"Will she be ok?" I hear Mai ask hesitantly.

I finally crack open my eyes to see Mai and Kaz surrounding me.

"You can… just ask me." I croak out, earning the attention of the others.

"Nari!" Mai pulls me into an embrace. "I thought… you just suddenly went under after..."

I weakly pat her in the back, finding any movement painful.

"Is Ayumi alright?"

Mai nods before pulling away. "Yeah… you know, you really know how to freak people out Nari." I let out a weak laugh, but it soon turns into a cough. Mai and Kaz rub soothing circles on my back until they subside.

"Mai..Nari…"

I turn to the side to see Ayumi looking at us sadly. I send her a smile. "We promised nothing will happen to you…" I say before coughing up the remaining water in my lungs.

"Don't worry Ayumi." Mai adds, "You're safe."

Ayumi nods with tears in her eyes before embracing Noriko.

"Nari…" Mai trails off uncertainly, causing me to flick my eyes over. "That's not Minnie in the water right...?"

'Minnie?'

I turn around and sure enough, Minnie's green glass eyes stare menacingly back at me before she disappears.

"You don't think…" Mai trails off before facing Kaz. "I thought Monk and you got rid of it…"

Kaz lets out a sigh. "Unfortunately the doll doesn't burn as easily as we first thought."

I grimace. "This is why you stab the doll first…"

Mai sends me a confused glance.

"You… stab it?" She clarifies.

I nod, entirely serious. "You stab it with something to weaken it… like a mantra… a sword… a prayer… a sword."

"You said sword twice…"

I shrug. "I think that usually works."

Releasing a sigh, Kaz continues to check me over for signs of injury.

"Right… eh… Nari!" Mai suddenly shortens the distance, causing me to back away slightly.

"Your leg." She whispers, trying not to catch Ayumi's attention.

"My leg?" I glance down and see two small handprints circling my calf.

Kaz frowns before loosening his tie and wrapping it around my neck. Before I can ask him to explain, he cuts me off. "You have handprints around your neck as well. Your leg we can hide; we just have to unroll the pants sleeve. As for your neck, this should cover it temporarily so Ayumi and Noriko don't worry. They didn't seem to notice as your hair covered much of it from view."

I nod.

"But why would it attack you?" Mai places a hand on her chin. "We were both in the water."

Kaz sends her a side glance before a smug smile enters his face, causing me to roll my eyes.

"I don't think that's important." I wave off. "Right now, we need to figure out what to do with Minnie. It's obvious she isn't gone."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Guest room-

"It's fortunate I managed to hide this before the others noticed." He mutters as he twirls the gun in his hand. "But for the time being, I'll hold onto this. No objections."

I close my mouth before releasing an annoyed sigh. "Yeah, I got it." I run a hand through my hair before flinching when he places a healing salve on my calf.

"Do you still believe the first-aid kit is excessive?" Kaz asks with a smug smile.

I let out another sigh. "Yes… but I will admit it does have its uses."

He shakes his head. "That is probably the best answer I can receive from you." He mutters before he finishes wrapping the bandages around my neck. "That should do for your injuries… now will you tell me what possess you into thinking you can take two shots in that short time frame?"

"I had to escape and that was all I can do at the time." I answer simply. "Besides, from that little near-death experience, I learned something valuable."

"Is that so?"

"Tachibana Yuki – Minnie's real name."

Kaz's eyes widen slightly before a smile enters his face. "You never cease to amaze me, Nari. Now if only you can attract less trouble."

"That's impossible." I smile before standing up. Big mistake. My vision blurs and I fall forward before landing into a hard chest.

"You really need to rest. Gene can only do so much… I'll take care of things for now." Kaz whispers before placing his hands on my arms. I let out a content sigh at the familiar warmth from the contact before shaking my head. "Can't. Naru's already suspicious of me… can't have more things to add to his list."

Kaz lets out a sigh. "Very well. I'll have to draw away his attention then." A smile enters his face. "And I believe your discovery will help."

**EVENING**

-Scene change: Noriko's Bedroom-

Kaz, Naru, Housho, Mia, and I stand in front of Noriko's bed. Noriko glances down at Ayumi's sleeping form in concern.

"I think I'm going to move us out of the house..." Noriko mutters.

"That's probably a good idea..." Mai agrees.

"You do realize there may be some poltergeists that will follow regardless of where you may be?" Naru adds.

Noriko's eyes widen. "Really?" She turns to Naru. "Is there anything we can do?"

"There's no need to worry. Kaz and I have been doing extensive research on the previous owners of this house. Before you and your family moved in, a family by the name of Watanabe lived here. They only lived here for three and moved due to a job transfer."

"So they weren't driven out by the haunting?" Mai clarifies.

"That's right." He turns to Mai. "But before them was the Nori family. They had a nine year old girl who died of an illness here. Before them, were the Onimas. Three of their children died here with in a six months span."

"Three of them?"

"Two boys and one girl. Ten, eight, and seven years old." Kaz explains. "Two of them were killed in a car accident and the other died of an illness. Before that we have the Murakami family who had a fifteen year old daughter but she's still alive today. But if we go back even further back in time, we get the Tanaguchi family. During a visit their ten year old niece also died of an illness."

"But if we go back even further, we have the Ikada family who lost their youngest son at seven years old." Naru continues.

"Then before them we have the Tachibana family, who lost their eight year old daughter – Tachibana Yuki."

Naru turns his attention to Kaz. "That's all the cases we've found."

I run a hand through my hair. "There's a pretty obvious pattern then… whoever's the ringleader targets children between the ages of seven and ten." I frown before glancing over at Ayumi.

Mai glances over at Naru. "So almost all the young kids who've lived in this house have died?"

Kaz releases a sigh. "Unfortunately so."

Noriko covers her face in her hands before her shoulders tremble.

*cries*

"What should I do?"

"I'm going to call in some more specialists. If you still want to leave the house I highly suggest that you wait until I call them in..." Naru advises.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Base-

I glance over to the computer chair to see Minnie sitting there once again.

'Why won't she stop staring at me…' I cover my face with my hand.

"Look, everything's happening because of that doll." Housho argues. I uncover my face to see Housho in a heated discussion with Naru (even though Housho is the only one getting heated). "I've seen this type of case before. A girl who loves a certain doll passes away, then her soul takes hold of the doll and manipulates it to her will."

"The problem is not the doll itself." Naru turns to Minnie. "Minnie is just being used as a vessel for the site bound spirit inside this house."

Housho sighs. "Kaz said that too… but I just don't buy it..."

-Time skip-

Kaz, Housho, Ayako, and Naru continue to stare at Minnie whereas I stood as far away from her as I possibly could. Releasing a sigh, I flip through my sketchbook before stopping at the page with Noriko and Ayumi.

My eyes widen. 'This…'

The page had been shredded in half with a red "x" on Noriko's face. 'They have to get out of this house soon…'

*click*

I glance over at the door to see John standing off to the side while Mai helps Masako into the room.

"It's okay. Why don't you sit down now?" Mai soothes.

I walk over to Masako. "Are you alright?"

Masako looks over at me. "Nari… the spirits here… you feel them too right?"

I blink.

"Masako, what's wrong?" Ayako rushes over in concern, saving me from responding.

Naru soon walks over, catching Masako's attention. Glancing up at Naru, she releases a distressed sigh before literally throwing herself against him.

I blink. 'Wow… she knows how to take advantage of the situation.' I glance over to Mai to see her stopping herself from going over to the two and ripping Masako off of Naru. I shake my head. 'You have it bad.'

Naru glances down at Masako calmly. "You ok?"

"This house is surrounded by the spirits of children... They're all suffering terribly. They just keep crying saying they want to be with their mothers over and over again." She mutters as she clenches the fabric of his shirt before looking up at him sadly. "I've never seen so many spirits in one house and they're all innocent children."

She suddenly lets go of Naru and faints.

"Masako!" Mai exclaims in surprise before catching her.

"She's fainted! We need to give her air." Ayako adds.

Kaz gazes at Masako with an unreadable expression whereas Naru takes on a contemplative look.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**DAY 6**

**01:58**

After John said a prayer for Ayumi, Minnie had somehow disappeared. As of right now, all of us (with the exception of Ayako and Masako) are at the base watching the monitors and listening to the audio.

**02:00**

The area under the bandages begins to sting.

'It's back…'

*moans*

"We're picking up some noises from the audio feed!" Mai tells Naru.

"Patch it through."

Lin complies, filling the room with eerie moans and rumbles.

*cries*

*moans*

*knocks*

"Sounds like children. Dear God... And there's so many of them." John glances up at the ceiling.

"It seems they're looking for Ayumi." Kaz mutters before glancing over at me. Noticing my discomfort, he places a hand on my shoulder, canceling out the pain. I send him a grateful smile which he returns.

Housho glances up. "John's prayer is having some effect... Perhaps a Kekkai barrier would help too."

Mai turns to face Housho. "Kekkai?"

"It's a special charm that's used to thwart any spirits from entering."

The moans suddenly stop.

"It stopped all of the sudden..." Mai glances around the room.

Ayako suddenly runs into the room with a bundle in her hands. "Naru! Look! I found Minnie!" She hands him the bundle.

Glancing down, he pulls the sheet down to reveal Minnie. Several gasps escape the others, but I just stare.

"I noticed a bulge at the foot of Ayumi's bed and sure enough the doll had found its way in there!" Ayako explains.

"Is Ayumi alright?" John asks.

"She's fine."

I frown. 'Those noises stopped the moment Ayako found Minnie… which means Minnie will keep finding Ayumi as long as she stays in this house.'

-Time skip-

I release another sigh before glancing over at Kaz and Ayako to see them still arguing. Well, it's more so Ayako arguing. Kaz is merely standing there calmly with a smug smile.

'It's been an hour… what could they possibly be arguing about?' I slam my head against the wall before releasing a frustrated sigh.

"Those two have been at it for a while now…" Mai observes. "How much longer is this going to last?"

I shrug. "I have no idea…" I glance over at Minnie before grimacing. "Hopefully soon so we can burn the damn doll."

"I agree… it's really creeping me out."

"All you've been doing is running your mouth. Why don't you exorcise it then?" Ayako huffs.

Kaz stares at her blankly before nodding. "Very well. That is, if John doesn't mind."

John sends him a smile. "It's all yours."

Nodding, Kaz goes to the corner of the room before taking out what looked to be a wrapped piece of oddly shaped wood.

"Nari? Do you think I could borrow your ring?" I stare at him blankly.

"You don't need it."

"True, but I want to test something out." He holds out his hand.

*sigh* "Fine. Just… be careful with it." I unhook the ring and place it on his palm.

He then walks over to the table where Minnie rests. "Let's get this done with." Kaz pulls the bandages, unraveling them before plopping them on the ground in a heap to reveal a Tibetan sword in an aged wooden sheath covered in talismans.

The sword trembles in his hand, causing a smirk to appear on his face. "So you sense it too then…" He mumbles.

"What's he talking about?" Mai whispers. I simply smile and place a finger to my lips, causing her to release a groan.

When Kaz places the ring on the doll's forehead, Minnie's eyes open before moving towards me.

"You got to be kidding me." Housho mutters in disbelief.

Ignoring Housho's remark, Kaz grips the handle of the sword and unsheathes it before turning it horizontal. Closing his eyes, he mutters…

"A lingering shroud of darkness among the living – one that refuses to pass on. Abandoning the light, the spirit continues on, eventually losing sense, identity, understanding. All things must come to an end and to reach that end, there is a price."

The doll starts shaking.

"A token, one that cannot be drenched in falsehood, must be repaid. And so it shall to make your endless wandering cease. An eye for an eye." The eyes snap towards Kaz as the doll's mouth cracks open. "A tooth for a tooth. And oblivion for all those await it. Disappear."

The area around the ring sizzles on the doll's forehead before the doll's limbs become slack.

"That should take care of it." Kaz adds before sheathing the sword, breaking the silence of the room. He gently picks up the ring before looping it around the chain. Walking over to me, he offers a small smile before bending forward to the clasp the chain around my neck.

"Woah… I never saw an exorcism like that." Housho announces, finally breaking out of his trance. "Where did you learn how to do that?"

"Experience. Trial and error. You can call it however you want." Kaz answers blandly before finally facing the others. "It's a mixture of different forms of exorcisms. I found blending certain aspects can form a new style that's still effective."

"But why did you need Nari's ring? You said it was like a token?" Mai asks.

Kaz smiles, "Correct. Unlike John and Housho whose exorcisms depend on a specific faith, mine doesn't. What I do is draw out the negative emotions and energy from an object or person, but to do that, you need something that can counteract that while at the same time draw it out. Any ideas?"

"Positive emotions?" Mai answers unsurely, earning herself a nod from Kaz.

"True, but those emotions have to be sound. It can't have any room for doubt or any possibilities to be tainted regardless of the circumstances."

"I think I understand what you're saying," Housho crosses his arms before glancing up in thought. "You used a token of sorts to bait the spirit out before dispelling it from the doll. As for that sword of yours… I'm assuming it plays a role."

"You assumed right." Kaz holds out the sword toward Housho. "This sword acts as a medium. It apparently houses an old spirit that had made a contract with the original owner to purify menacing presences. If I clearly have a purpose and wish to fulfill it, the sword follows through with it. As long as my intensions are pure, things will be fine."

"I sense a 'but' in that somewhere." Ayako adds.

"Finally perceptive are we?" Kaz mutters as he lowers the sword, earning a glare from Ayako. "If on the off chance I were to use this to curse an individual… well let's not go into that."

"You can't just leave it after saying that!" Mai whines, earning an amused smile from Kaz.

"I suppose, but another time."

"So why did you have to use Nari's ring as a token? Couldn't you have used something else?" John voices.

"To be honest, I only needed the sword, but if I did that… the results wouldn't have been the same. Also, I wanted to see if my hunch was right."

"Umm could you explain that?" Mai asks.

Kaz nods. "I believe it's no surprise to you all that Nari's a trouble magnet."

"I believe that has long been established." Naru comments, causing me to roll my eyes.

Kaz cracks a smile. "Yes. Anyway, I was wondering if Nari was attracting the attention of the spirit or spirits in this house. The near drowning incident was a big clue in and I believe we all know the second."

"The doll staring at Nari during the exorcism." Housho adds, earning a nod from Kaz.

"Yes. She seemed to be very interested in Nari and only glanced at me when the exorcism was almost complete. I find it a bit odd, but stranger things have happened." Kaz pauses for a moment as if collecting his thoughts. "All of us in the room are equally likely to be targeted, after all," Kaz glances over to Minnie, "She's been trying to get rid of anyone who interferes. From what I've seen, Mai has been interfering the most, seeing as she's revealed much about Minnie and spends the most time with Ayumi. So then here's the question: Why target Nari twice in such a short time frame?"

*sigh*

"Kaz… you already know the reason." I finally speak up, earning the attention of the rest of the room.

"Oh do I?" A smug smile enters his face. "Care to enlighten me?"

I roll my eyes. "I see no reason to tell you something you already know. Your head's already big enough. I think you can miss out on the ego boost."

"Want to enlighten the rest of us? We don't exactly function on the same creepy, sibling wavelength as you two." Housho mutters.

I let out a small smile before facing the others. "Sure. The reason that spirit's interested in me is…" I trail off, thinking of some random excuse I can put in. "because I figured out who it actually is."

'And I just screwed myself over… couldn't I have thought of a half-truth or something!'

"Eh? Are you serious?" Ayako asks skeptically.

I nod. "The spirit that inhabited that doll was …" I trail off, knowing I had little to lose at this point, "another child that died in this house."

Naru narrows his eyes, causing me to release a sigh. 'I just made him even more suspicious.'

"That's actually a pretty simple conclusion." Everyone turns to Kaz who finishes wrapping up his sword. "We know the spirits in the house are mostly children, so the likelihood of the spirit possessing Minnie is one of the deceased children is fairly high."

"When you put it that way, it does sound simple." Ayako muses.

Kaz lets out a smile. "I'm glad you understand. But to a more important matter… the spirit is cleansed, but it's not destroyed."

"I agree. I suggest we burn the doll so that it can never be used for evil again." John adds, earning nods of agreements.

-Time skip-

This time around, Minnie burned easily.

"Back to the identity of the spirit possessing the doll…" John starts. "Is it certain that it's that of one of the children?"

"Well," Housho turns to Naru, "Based on everything that's been discussed, there's a good chance. The spirits were probably lonely by themselves so they try to bring over children who inhabit the house and befriended them. Then those children become site bound spirits as well."

"Why is it just children?" Naru turns around before crossing his arms, "If they were lonely, why not choose Noriko, Mai, or Nari – someone who could act as substitute mother? However for some reason Minnie was attempting to eliminate them, so why do that?"

"Wouldn't it be easier to just eliminate competition?" I ask Kaz, earning the attention of the others.

"Depends on the situation." He brings his hands together before resting his chin on them. "If you're searching for something, then it's easier to eliminate the competition so you can only focus on your search."

I smirk. "Good to know."

Naru furrows his eyebrows. "Searching through the children…" His eyes widen. "It's possible."

*click*

Mai enters the room, catching Naru's attention.

"Mai, how's Hara-san?"

"She's still not feeling to well."

"I see." He turns to Housho. "Takigawa, I'd like you to try and clean the house again."

He sends Naru a skeptical look. "You sure?"

Naru nods before turning to his laptop to pull out a file. "The first to die was Yuki Tachibana. These are the dates of her birth and death and her posthumous Buddhist name. She belonged to the Jotou sect."

Housho's eyes widen. "How'd you find that out? The records are over seventy years old."

"It was rather easy." Naru waves off, causing Kaz to smile. Naru gets up from the chair and walks over to Lin. "Let me see the records we have up till now."

'He's catching on…'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Hallway-

"I thought you said the ghost can follow us. Will we really be safe in a hotel?" Noriko asks.

Naru holds out a paper charm. "This charm will protect you and just to be safe, I'm sending Father Brown, Matsuzaki-san, and Kaz to stay with you."

Noriko takes the charm. "Arigato."

Ayumi looks up at Mai and me. "Mai, Nari, are you going to come with us?"

Mai shakes her head. "I'm sorry; I can't."

She turns to me. "Gomen ne. There's still something we have to do." I open my sketchbook and pull of a piece of paper. "I'm not done with the other picture, but take this."

Ayumi glances down at the picture before a smile enters her face. "Thanks Nari!"

She rushes up to me before throwing her arms around my neck.

"Be safe alright."

"Mhm-hm." She lets go and does the same to Mai.

*tap*tap*

I turn to see Kaz glancing down at me with a reassuring smile.

"It'll be alright." Kaz whispers after bringing my head to his chest, filling me with the usual warmth. "You have one shot… and I mean only one this time around." He slips the gun into its hidden holster. "You can't afford to be reckless… You understand why right?"

I nod. "Perfectly."

-A short while later…-

Naru, Housho, Mai, and I stand at the front door to watch the taxi leave the driveway.

"Is it working Hara-san?" Naru asks.

Masako glances around before facing Naru. "It seems that the spirits have yet to notice."

"Alright… let's get back to work." Housho heads back inside the house.

-Scene change: Base-

Naru, Lin, Mai, and I stand in front of the monitors.

"Are you ready Takigawa?" Naru asks through the intercom.

"_As ready as I'll ever be." Housho replies. Sitting in Ayumi's room in his monk robes, Housho closes his eyes before bringing his hands together in a prayer._

"_Namaku samban dan bazara dan. Sende Marko shata shouta wa untarata, Kan man." _

'So far so good…'

"_Namaku samman dan boudoran unboron."_

"The temperature around the bed is starting to drop considerably; it's already down two degrees in the last minute." Lin states.

"And the audio?" Naru asks.

Lin places a hand on one of the ear pieces. "Nothing to speak of at this point, though I'm not getting the usual static." He closes his eyes for several moments before opening them. "I'm picking up something else now, knocking sounds."

I glance up at the monitors to see the image from the living room camera fogging up.

"Naru, the living room!" Mai points out.

He snaps his gaze over. "What the..! Lin, what's the temp in the living room?"

"It's currently at negative two degrees."

"Negative?!" Naru picks up the microphone. "Takigawa, we've got you in the wrong room."

"_What?" He stands up. _

"All of the activity is coming from the living room."

Ignoring the burning sensation, I glance up at the monitors to see the distorted faces of numerous spirits.

"Naru, the monitor!" I call out, causing him to snap his attention back to the screens to see the numerous apparitions.

"_Whoa! What the-?" Housho waves away the spirits swarming around him. "I've got multiple apparitions in here!" Closing his eyes, he brings his hands together. _

"_Namari sazake moke ta biari, saram moke biari, sara ba ta! Karaku!" His eyes snap open just as the spirits become more chaotic. _

_The spirits all hold pain-filled expressions. _

'It's hurting them…' I clench my hands. 'They don't want this… they just want…'

_Free me…_

I widen my eyes. 'Again..?'

_I don't want this… _

_I want oka-san…_

_It hurts… _

'Again… why are you telling me this… I'm no medium… I can't…'

"I can't take this…" I glance over to Mai to see her covering her face with her hands before peeking up to gaze fearfully at the monitor.

Matching her gaze, I see shadowed wisps taking form behind Housho. 'What?'

"_Tomiko…"_

_The image solidifies before taking the form of a woman in a kimono. _

"_Tomiko… my child…" She mutters sadly before her face suddenly becomes fierce. "Tomiko..!" _

*gasp*

I clench my arm in pain. 'The ringleader's finally here.'

* * *

**AN: So that's the end of this chapter. Next one coming up will be the end of this case. We'll see if Nari can get away with things once again, but with Naru getting suspicious, that may not be the case. If you want to see what Kaz's sword looks like, go onto my profile and scroll down to the ghost hunt section. I've attached links there corresponding to the characters. If there's anything you want to see in the later chapters, feel free to review. Anyway, I hope this chapter was enjoyable and worth the wait. Until next time.**

**Ja ne~**

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

Review responses:

_Twilight Dark Angel: Hi again. :D I'm glad that you liked the last chapter and hopefully the same happens for this chapter as well. Thanks for the help. It's been difficult trying to find more of the white heart series in English. Unfortunately, I can't read Japanese. *sigh* It's cool that you were able to meet the voice actor for Mai; that seems like a really fun experience. As for your last comment about writing a sequel to the manga, I plan on it but I'm not sure when that will happen. I will admit it will be difficult thinking up new cases, but I'm willing to take a crack at it. _

_RAZHEL: I'm really happy that you were so excited to see the last chapter come out. It's difficult trying to balance out Nari and Naru in the same scenes since they're really similar to each other. Gene's noticed the similarities and not just the physical ones or their personalities. Now the fun part will be when he breaks that to Nari._

_bored411: Thanks for the advice and I'm glad you liked how the chapter turned out. I still finding it a bit difficult to add in the romance aspect of the story, but at the same time, I don't want it to be the main focus. I guess I'll just have to play around with the characters while keeping them in character. Nari did use her gun in this chapter, but she's able to dodge the bullet so to say. Next time she isn't going to be so lucky. Yeah… dolls still creep me out to this day. I'm glad my sister feels the same way and gave them all up. I feel for you though… they can be really creepy, especially the ones that can open and close their eyes. *shivers* Anyway, I hope this chapter was worth the wait._

_RieveVonBielefeld-YuunaSouma: Thanks for reviewing and I hope this chapter was worth the wait._

_XAlluringShadowsX: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you like Gene. They didn't really give much information about him in the series so I can take a lot of liberties. I'm not sure on the pairings yet but it's leaning toward Gene for Nari._

_Jem Juliette Jewels Jade: Thanks for the corrections and the review. I hope this chapter was worth the wait._

_Darkspirit18: Thanks for the review. =) I'm glad you like the chapter and hope this one meets your expectations._

_dark-driex-07: Thanks for the review. =) Nari's trying to get her feelings sorted out so it'll be some time before she realizes her feelings for Gene and maybe Naru. We'll just have to see. _


	6. File 2: The Doll House Part 3

**AN: I'm still alive. :D Yeah… anyway, here's the next chapter and the last one for this case. I appreciate your patience and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Feel free to review or comment. :D Now onto the chapter.**

**{~}**

**Notes:**

_[Visions]_

_'Video events'_

'Thoughts'

"Normal conversation"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of the characters except my Oc's. All rights of the picture used in the cover belong to the artist.**

* * *

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**FILE 2:**

**The Doll House – Part 3**

**JULY**

**DAY 6**

**(First person perspective – Nari)**

"_Namaku samban bazara dan." Housho continues to chant._

'He hasn't noticed yet.' I tighten the grip on my arm, feeling the pain worsening.

"_Sende ma kararo shata sowata tai ya ka untarata. Kan man. Namaku sanban bara dan-"_

I open my mouth to warn him, only to have Naru beat me to it.

"Takigawa, behind you!"

_Housho stops his mantras and turns around in confusion. Turning back to the monitor he sends us a puzzled look. _

"_What are you talking about Naru? There's nothing here." _

Mai takes a step back in surprise whereas Naru grinds his teeth in annoyance.

"Damn. I guess he can't see it…" He trails off. My vision blurs.

_[A hand. Mai's widen eyes. 'I can't breathe!'] _

'Again?' I shake my head. 'The time gap is shortening… what's going on?'

"Mai, wait!"

I turn around to see Naru calling out to Mai as she bolts out the door.

'Mai!' I bolt out of the door too, just missing Naru's hand when he attempts to grab me.

"Nari, stop!" He calls after me, but I ignore it as I make my way to the living room.

'Make it in time… please…' I stop next to Mai, seeing the apparitions swarming around the room in pain.

_It hurts so much… _

_Please… _

_I want to go back to oka-san…_

'Why… why tell me this? I… I'm not even supposed to hear your voices so why…' Shaking my head to rid myself of the thoughts I turn to Housho. 'This isn't the time.'

"Housho! " I call out, causing him to snap his gaze to mine.

"You too?!" He asks, "Hey, It's dangerous here. You two need to leave!"

"Right back at you Housho."

"I-it can't be…" Mai mumbles in dismay.

"What's wrong?" I turn to Mai to see her trembling.

"The silhouette of that woman… it's not there!" Mai points over to the corner of the living room. Following her gaze, I widen my eyes. 'What's going on?' The image of the woman blurs in and out before me. 'I can see her… but she keeps fading out. But how come no one else can?' The woman vanishes from my sight. 'What?'

"Stop gawking you two. Get out!" Housho calls back, snapping Mai out of her trance.

"You too Monk!" Mai reaches out to him. "You're in danger too."

Mai suddenly tenses before reaching up to her throat. "I…I can't breathe." Mai chokes out. I make a move toward her, only to have something grip my arm – causing my arm to burn at the contact.

_Give it to me… _

"Mai!" Housho calls out. "Namaku samban bazara dan, kan!"

Mai lets out several coughs before her breathing levels out.

_This… _

Something claws at the bandages, slowly unraveling them.

_Give me… I need…_

"Nari?" Mai calls out hesitantly to me.

'Keep calm… don't let it know…' I slowly reach into my vest.

"Nari!"

'Crap!'

_My child!_

The grip tightens before I fly forward and crash onto the ground.

*crash*

"Nari!" Mai calls out.

"Don't move." I ground out.

_Give… Stop hiding her...!_

The grip tightens even more before it drags me across the floor.

*drag*

"Namaku samban-"

*drag*

"Don't!" I call out, cutting out the rest of the mantra. I close my eyes, getting the image of a woman staring down sadly at a well.

_I want her back!_

*drag*

"This isn't the time to pretend to be macho kid!" Housho scolds.

The woman allows a tear to fall before leaning over and falling into the well_._ I snap my eyes open. 'You're suffering as well… aren't you? But even so, you're making others suffer. '

Housho starts chanting once again, but I ignore him and bring out my gun, cocking it straight before me.

"A gun?!" Mai exclaims, halting Housho in his chants.

"What? You have to be kidding me."

The woman's faded image wavers before me. 'I won't back down, not this time.' Just as the image disappears, I pull the trigger. A bright light encases the room before an enraged cry reaches my ears. Seconds tick by before the stifling atmosphere lessens.

*crack*crackle*

Panting, I look several inches before me to see the wooden boards caving in on themselves, revealing a well. 'So that's where you wanted to drag me huh…'

"You idiot!" I glance up to see Housho glaring down at me as he helps me up. "You have a lot of explaining to do kid."

I let out a small laugh. "Obviously." My vision blurs before the gun slips from my hand and clatters to the ground.

"Nari? Are you alright?" Mai hurries to my side to help steady me.

"Despite almost having my shoulder dislocated and dragged into a well… I'd say I'm great." I answer with a smile before shaking Housho and Mai off me.

"Hey you're not in any shape to move on your own."

I wave Housho off before bending down to retrieve my gun. "I'd say I'm completely fine." I answer before strapping my gun back to my side and making my way to the door.

"Wait you're-"

Mai warns but it was too late; I had already rammed into the doorframe.

"Ow…" I mutter dully, not at all perturbed by the incident. Shaking my head, I take several steps to the right before moving forward.

"Wait, that's-"

*bang*

"Ouch…" I stare blankly ahead before taking another step forward, only to have Housho hold me back by my arm.

*sigh* "That's the wall… Here." He swings one of my arms over his shoulders. "Now let's get you two out of here before Nari gets anymore brain damage."

I let out a small laugh. "Then by all means…" I make a sweeping motion with my arm. "Lead the way."

He shakes his head. "How does Kaz put up with you?"

I merely smile in response.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Base-

Housho had left to change into his regular clothes after helping me over to the couch. As for Lin and Naru, they left as well, saying they needed to check on the equipment. While Mai and I waited for the others to get back, Mai makes a move to fix my bandages, only to have me scoot further away.

"You're hurt. Just let me help." Mai explains before reaching for me again. I slap her hand away, disregarding the hurt expression on her face.

"I'm fine." I fix the bandages with a bobby pin. "You should worry about yourself… besides, it's nothing serious." I answer with a smile. She sends me a disbelieving look.

"Says the girl who kept running into the walls…" She mumbles bitterly.

"I wasn't the one that was getting choked, now was I?"

Mai sends me a half-hearted glare.

*click*

Housho walks into the room with Lin and Naru in tow.

"All the equipment's in order… The loss in connection wasn't due to technical means." Lin explains to Naru who nods as a thoughtful look enters his face.

"No bugs this time either." Naru mutters, sending a calculating look my way. I send him a smile in response, causing him to narrow his eyes.

'You don't have any proof this time Naru.'

The three stop before Mai and I.

"So what exactly was that?" Housho starts before crossing his arms. "You guys say there was an apparition on the monitors, but Mai and I saw nothing in the room. Then Mai gets attacked; then Nari gets dragged across the floor like some rag doll."

"Don't say doll." I grimace. "You know I hate those…"

Housho sends an amused smile my way before shaking his head. "Fine. Like something the dog dragged in, happy?"

"That's lame," I deadpan before breaking into a smile, "but I'll bite."

He shakes his head before glancing over to Naru. "When did you lose the connection?"

Naru sends me a look. "Around the time Nari gets dragged across the floor. We saw her pulling something out then static."

"Huh…" Housho places a hand on his chin as he takes on a contemplative look.

"Seems like something happened." Naru looks between the two of us.

"You could say that." I answer with a shrug, earning their attention. "Housho's mantras are really affective; it drove away the spirit strangling Mai."

Housho looks up and sends me a thoughtful look.

"I see." Naru turns to face Mai. "Is this true?"

"Huh?" Mai turns to Naru before her face reddens. "Uh yeah… Monk was able to drive away the spirit so I'm fine." She waves her hands in front of her face before rubbing the back of her head awkwardly.

I blink. 'Why is she blushing?'

"I see." He turns to Housho. "What else happened?"

"Well," He starts but thinks better of it and shakes his head. After several seconds, he continues, "The floor caved in right in front of Nari, so it seems as though the spirit wanted to drag her down the well."

"Well?" Lin clarifies.

Housho rubs the back of his head. "There's apparently a well of some sort under the floorboards… We didn't get a chance to get a good look at it though…"

"That's fine. We'll just wait until the others come back before looking into it." Naru concludes before walking over to the monitors. "Lin, can you play back the video feed?"

"Yes." Lin walks over to the monitors before taking his usual seat.

'Even if you look through it… you won't find any clues. Only Mai and Housho saw me, but Mai was probably in shock over everything and won't be able to explain. As for Housho…' I glance over to see him mulling over his thoughts. 'He's picked up what happened, but probably doesn't understand the specifics. Still, why didn't he bring it up when Naru asked? He had the opportunity… so why didn't he?'

Running a hand through my hair, I let out a sigh before reaching over to grab the sketchbook resting on the table.

*flip*flip*flip*

I flip through the pages before stopping at a clean page. After taking the worn pencil from the spiral binding, I close my eyes and tap the pencil on my chin, recalling the image I saw several moments ago in the living room.

'Got it.' I snap my eyes open before taking several strokes to the paper.

*scribble*scribble*

'A woman…'

I sketch the woman's basic position before adding the guidelines for the well.

*scribble*scribble*

_*static*_

_*clatter*_

"_Housho! " I call out._

I pause my pencil for a moment, realizing how odd I sound in the audio. 'Huh… I sound weird…'

"_You too?!" He asks, "Hey, It's dangerous here. You two need to leave!"_

Shaking my head of that thought, I continue with my drawing.

"_Right back at you Housho." _

"_I-it can't be…" Mai mumbles in dismay. _

"_What's wrong?" I ask. _

"_The silhouette of that woman… it's not there!"_

_*moan*bang* _

"_Stop gawking you two. Get out!" Housho calls back._

"_You too Monk! You're in danger too." Mai pauses. _

_*moan*_

"_Mai!" Housho calls out. "__Namaku samban bazara dan, kan!"_

_Mai lets out several coughs before her breathing levels out. _

"_Nari?" Mai calls out hesitantly to me._

"…"

"_Nari!"_

_*crash*_

"_Nari!" Mai calls out. _

_*moan*_

"_Don't move." I ground out. _

_*drag*_

"_Namaku samban-"_

_*drag*_

_*moan*_

"_Don't!" I call out, cutting out the rest of the mantra. _

_*drag*_

"_This isn't the time to pretend to be macho kid!" Housho scolds before the voices become garbled. _

"_A-" Mai starts before static takes over. _

"That's all there is." Lin states before taking off his headphones.

"I see… " Naru turns to Mai. "Mai, what did you see Nari pull out?"

"Huh?" Mai stumbles for a minute before composing herself. "I think it was a gun?"

"A gun?" Naru repeats puzzled.

"Yeah… she just pulled it and well… I'm not sure what happened after that."

Feeling curious looks sent my way, I glance up to see Mai, Housho, Lin, and Naru staring at me.

*sweat drop*

I close the sketchbook. "Take a picture; I swear it'll last longer than you all burning holes into me with your eyes."

Mai rubs the back of her head sheepishly. "Hehe… Hey, do you think you could show it to us?" Mai brings her hands together in a pleading gesture.

I release a sigh before reaching into my vest and tossing Mai the gun. "Knock yourself out."

"Eh?" Mai fumbles with the gun before clutching it warily. "Hey, you don't just throw a gun at someone. What if it went off or something?"

I send her a careless wave before leaning further against the couch. "There's nothing in it. It's not a real gun. If you don't believe me, see for yourself."

I lean my head back and close my eyes, finally feeling the stress settle itself on my body.

'Looks like I'm starting to get use to the strain…'

"Let me see that, Mai." Housho asks.

"Sure, here you go."

*click*click*chink*

"Huh… it's empty." I hear the confusion in his voice.

"Wait, don't pull it!"

*click*

"Huh… nothing again."

"Huh?" Mai asks wearily. "Nothing happened? Isn't there supposed to be some bullet or light… something?!"

I shake my head before opening my eyes. "Satisfied?" I ask with a smile.

Mai looks at the gun in disappointment. "I guess so…"

"Same for me…" Housho scratches the back of his head in confusion before handing the gun over to Naru. "Maybe you can figure it out. It's got me stumped."

Naru takes the gun wordlessly before knitting his brows in thought.

*click*

Naru turns the gun to its side for a moment before walking up to me. Holding the front of the gun, he holds it out to me to take. Cautiously, I take the gun from his hand, but not without feeling a jolt. Surprise crosses Naru's face for a split second before it disappears under a calculating look.

"Interesting…" He murmurs. "It seems the gun might be just for show." He walks back to the monitors. "How disappointing."

'He's lying… he's figured something out. I need to stop giving myself away.' I thought as I glance down at the gun in my hand. 'Still… what was that?'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Living room-

Housho, John, Ayako, Mai, Masako, Kaz, and I stand around the hole whereas Naru stands a little off to the side with his arms crossed.

Housho crouches down and peers down into the well. "Looks like the house was built over this well... It looks pretty old..."

Masako holds her kimono sleeve to her mouth before peering over to me. "Nari, you've been unusually quiet. Do you sense something as well?"

'Should I tell her… she already believes I'm a medium, but I'm not. That's Ayumu.' I gaze down sadly at the well.

_Please… I want to go back…_

_I want to get out. _

_Free me… _

'Stop… stop telling me this… I'm not…'

"Nari?" Masako tries again, sending me a worried glance.

"It's nothing." I send her a sad smile. 'Looks like I'll have to give her something… I made it pretty obvious now.'

"It's just a hunch, but I feel like there's children trapped down there… they want to leave, but can't. They…they're begging to be with their real mother."

Masako sends me a contemplative look. "That's quite an accurate hunch."

I shrug. "A hunch is a hunch. I just make lucky guesses."

She sends me a skeptical look. "If you say so…" She pauses for a moment before continuing, "There's spirit of an Oshima here... She's lurking deep down inside the well, calling to children's spirits and pretending to be their mother. Nari's assumption is right… the children only want to return home; they're lost and can't find they're out..."

"Is Minnie down there too?" Mai asks.

"Minnie – actually Yuki Tachibana – acts as the ring leader of the children. Though, in reality she is in so much pain and sadness that she only wants all of this to stop."

Naru sends Kaz and I a glance.

'He's starting to catch on.'

We all gaze down the well.

"It appears to me this well bores deep into the earth... and at the very bottom are the spirits of the children... trapped in the dark." Masako explains.

"And Tomiko?" Naru asks.

Masako turns to him. "The Oshima's daughter. She's looking for her child... that's why she's gathering the children."

"So it's really that." Naru narrows his eyes. "I see now." He makes his way out of the room.

"Naru?" Mai calls out to him, but he doesn't turn around.

"I'm going out. I'll leave the rest to you two."

"W-wait, Naru!"

*click*

The door closes behind him, causing Mai to let out an aggravated groan.

"Geez, you could've been more specific than just, I'll leave the rest to you two! What are we even supposed to do?" Mai grounds out as she clenches her hands.

"I can't really say I'm surprised." Kaz murmurs with an amused smile.

"I agree with you on that." Housho scratches the back of his head. "He does that so often I just expect it now." He lowers his hand before placing it on his chin. "How about we work on driving out the spirits until he gets back?"

Mai nods. "You're right." She turns to John, Ayako, and Kaz. "Okay guys, who wants to go?"

The three look at Mai in confusion.

"Which one of your three is up to the challenge?" Housho clarifies before lifting both his hands to form a half shrug. "I'm warning you it's intense in there."

I look at Mai and Housho with a sweat drop. 'You're just dropping the task on them… like you did with me when we had to return Minnie… oh well, at least it's not me this time.'

John and Kaz share a look before they both send Ayako a smile. Ayako glances between the two in shock before a sneer enters her face.

"Hmph." She turns away, nose in the air. "Fine, I guess I'll do it. But if I go, you _brave _men need to go watch Ayumi for me." She ends sarcastically.

"Sure." Housho concedes.

"Of course." Kaz answers.

"Will do." John agrees.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Living Room-

After moving all the furniture to the side, Ayako sits down several feet before the hole in her priestess robes. Mai and I sit behind, flanking her sides.

"Here I humbly offer a modest cleansing ritual and enshrine this temporary altar…" Ayako begins as she holds a paper charm before her.

'I'm getting a bad feeling about this…' A chill runs up my spine before my vision blurs.

_[A hand. No, two. A cry of surprise. A body getting dragged into the well. Another figure getting dragged down. A cry.]_

'What… why couldn't I see the people involved? This isn't a good sign. The gaps between the visions and events have gotten shorter for some reason… so that means it's going to happen soon.' I widen my eyes in realization.

"In the sacred presence of his Majesty, the Emperor of Yamato, who reigns over the Land of the Eight Grand Islands as the living God…"

*rumble*shake*

We glance around the room, trying to find the source of the noise before glancing up at the sound of running footsteps. The sound travels to the corner of the living room before switching to the corner across it.

'It's getting more active…' My arm begins to sting, causing me to narrow my eyes. 'Looks like something's coming.'

"Ayako, continue!" Mai urges, causing Ayako to give her an exasperated look.

"I know." She snips before bringing the paper charm before her. Her form suddenly tenses before she recoils and shies away to her right.

"What wrong?" I ask.

"I felt something touch me..!" She whispers harshly.

"You need to stay focused; you're a professional remember?" Mai scolds before tensing up.

"…Mai?" Ayako calls out. I turn to Mai to see her trembling. I make a move to touch her, but quickly pull back – suddenly feeling the skin on my left bicep burning.

"I-I can feel a hand on my-Ah!"

Mai is jerked forward before sliding toward the hole.

"Mai!" I make a move to grab her before feeling a hand grab my ankle.

*jerk*

The hand pulls me to the hole with Mai.

"Mai, Nari!" Ayako's voice rings through the room.

"Mai!" She gazes at me fearfully. "Grab my ankle alright?" She does before I concentrate on one of the floorboards nearing us.

*crack*crack*

The edge of the floorboard creakily breaks apart from the rest of the floor before bending backwards, creating a makeshift handle. As we pass by it, I grab onto it with both hands – jerkily stopping our descent to the hole.

Mai lets out a shaky breath. I glance down to her, still feeling the foreign appendage attempting to drag us into the well. "Don't let go Mai!" I call out before pulling against the force.

"I don't plan on it. Just don't let go of the wood!"

I concentrate on another floorboard, creating another handle. Panting, I shakily reach over to grab it before the wood suddenly splits, causing me to lose my grip.

"Nari!" Mai screams.

"It broke!"

*slam*

Lin runs into the room and makes his way over to us.

"Nari, grab my hand!" He holds out his hand, only to have me pull back.

'I can't…'

"Nari!" He tries to reach for me, but I ignore his attempt. 'I'm sorry… but I can't. But I know someone who can.'

Ignoring the stress on my body, I kick my leg to the side before grabbing Mai's wrist away from my ankle.

"Eh?! What are you-" Mai starts, but I cut her off.

"Grab Lin's hand!" Ignoring the crack from my shoulder, I use whatever strength I had to launch Mai to Lin. She makes a move to grab his hand, but just misses.

The hand releases my ankle and grips my wrist before yanking me back to the well. Clenching my teeth at the intensified pain in my arm, I try to create another wooden handle, only to fail as Mai slams into my face. Disoriented, I haphazardly reach for something to stop our fall, but end up grabbing Mai's wrist before we both fall down the well.

"Girls!" Ayako calls out to us. Then darkness.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Mindscape-

"You really took a hard fall."

I blearily open my eyes to see Gene gazing worriedly down at me.

"Gene?" I croak out before attempting to sit, only to grip my head in pain.

"Easy now." He lowers me back to the ground before grasping one of my hands, filling me with the familiar warmth. "You must have hit your head pretty hard for you to actually feel it. Usually head injuries don't phase you."

I send him a mock glare. "Are you saying I make it a habit out of getting head injuries?"

He shakes his head before a small smile enters his face. "Maybe.~ You have to admit; you've been injured so much it barely phases you." He frowns. "But if you're actually feeling pain… this isn't a good sign."

I let out a small laugh. "Now I'm not allowed to feel pain? Geez, thanks Gene. You make it sound like I'm so robot." I smile before releasing a pained groan and rolling over to my side. My breathing becomes erratic before I curl into myself.

"Nari?" He calls out hesitantly before brushing away the stray hairs framing my face. I don't respond, rather I glance around to see the once clear skies turning a dull crimson. 'This isn't good…'

My vision blurs before the silhouette of a man appears in front of me. He holds his hand out to me before the image fades. I knit together my eyebrows in confusion. 'Who?' Black spots invade my vision before the same shadowed man appears, holding the hand of a little girl.

"_Your mother's waiting for you by the pond. Here, I'll take you to her."_

The little girl nods before the scene fades out. My arm burns, setting off alarms in my head. 'No… don't go. That man…'

Red spots invade my vision before I see the little girl drowning in the water.

"_Help, please! Oka-san! Oka-san!"_

Then nothing. The girl's struggles stop before her body floats to the bottom of the pond, leaving her ball floating on the surface of the water.

*pant*pant*

"Nari? Shh… it's alright." Gene cradles my body close to his as he strokes my hair in a soothing rhythm.

"I wasn't supposed to see that…" I murmur before gripping the fabric of his shirt. "I can hear the last words of the deceased… but I'm not supposed to see their last moments… at least, not that clearly." My hand trembles. "I'm starting to hear voices too… I don't understand what's going on. Why are my abilities changing?"

He doesn't say anything for a moment. "I'm not sure, but you said Ayumu was a medium right?"

I nod.

"Could it be that you're starting to gain some of his abilities?"

I frown. "That's not possible. We can't just switch abilities."

"Well…" Gene sighs. "There's not much research on twin psychics, so I can't say this for certain… but it could be possible that his abilities are leaking over to you and vise versa. It may just be a temporary thing, but I have no clue." He takes on a contemplative look. "Either that or your core abilities are branching out."

"Huh…" I shake my head. "Surprisingly, that makes some sense."

"Surprisingly?" He repeats in confusion.

"It's nothing. It just seems you have a brain in that head of yours." I ruffle his hair. "Looks like you're part of the nerds, Gene." I say before poking his forehead. "Just goes to show you're just like Naru."

He gawks. "Never."

I let out a small smile. "Hey, you have things in common with Naru. You just don't want to admit it."

He huffs. "I'd like to say I'm the better twin."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

He pulls away before placing a hand on his chest. "Ouch… you wound me."

I smile. "You'll live."

His smile softens. "Yeah…" He trails off before cradling me closer, causing my eyes to widen. "I'm glad you're safe… Back at the pond, I thought you wouldn't wake up. You looked like you were dying. I don't want to see that again, Nari."

A jolt runs through my body. 'What… is this? It's different… but not bad.' I return the embrace, burying my face against his chest. "So I'm guessing it was you who made me hang on huh? Thank you Gene… I guess we're even now."

He tenses before tightening his hold. "I didn't do it just to repay you Nari. I care for you; after all, someone has to pull you out of trouble." He lets out a laugh. "Looks like Kaz and I will be your dear knights, hime."

I shake my head. "Ugh… Please, please don't call me that. I get that enough from Kaz."

He chuckles. "Maybe.~ But it's fitting isn't it? A princess belongs with her knight. And as your knight, I'll always be there for you."

I roll my eyes. "I don't need a knight… but I suppose I can let it slide this one time." I give him a sly look. "As long as you don't go parading around in armor, I think we'll be fine."

He places a hand on his chin before giving me a mischievous grin. "That might not be such a bad idea…"

I gawk before shaking my head as I let out a laugh. "Should have seen that coming." I compose myself. "So what brings you here? You don't make it a hobby to stalk people's dreams right?"

He rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Not random people…" He trails off as I send him a disbelieving look. "I was checking up on Mai and when I learned you fell into the well too, I had to make sure you were safe." A soft smile enters his face. "Mai's abilities are starting to form, so I took it on myself to help her learn them, be her guide in her visions. So it's not like I'm just randomly popping up or stalking her." His explains nervously before his smile deepens. "She's… really an amazing girl… even though she doesn't know much about what's going on, she's doing her best to help. I can tell she really cares for others and I admire that."

As Gene continues to talk about Mai, a heaviness settles in my chest, causing me to frown slightly. 'This feeling…' I place a hand on my chest as several pangs travel down to my stomach. 'I don't like it… what is it?'

"It helps she thinks I'm Naru. The look she always gives me just shows how much she cares for him. Mai really is a great catch for him… might balance out his old-man-no-nonsense attitude." His shoulders sag before he lets out a sigh. "Too bad very little fazes Naru… he's got the emotional capacity of a cinder block… he's definitely going to be the main obstacle we have to overcome to get those two together." Gene runs a hand through his hair.

Another jolt runs down my chest, adding to my discomfort. My smile saddens. 'The way you talk about her… it's like you've fallen for her as well. I… I don't like it… for some reason. As things stand, it's more likely she's fallen for you rather than Naru. I hope you know what you're doing Gene…'

I release a sigh. 'Don't worry about this for now… You still have a case to get back to, so you better wake up.'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Bottom of the well-

"I'm alright, but Nari's not waking up!" I hear Mai call out. "She took most of the fall…"

"I see… Just stay put. Lin's coming down to help you two out." Ayako calls from above.

*drip*

I crack open my eyes to see two blurry figures – one at the edge of the well and one in front of me.

"Nari?"

One of the figures makes it way over to me before helping me sit up. Blinking away the blurriness from my vision, I make out Mai's worried face.

"Geez, you really are a trouble magnet, aren't you?" Her face slightly falters. "But thanks for taking the fall for me… I was worried you wouldn't wake up again…"

'You really do care a lot for others…'

I smile softly before ruffling her hair. "Gomen ne. I didn't mean to worry you. Remember, you're talking to a girl who fell out of a second story window. Falling into a well only pales in comparison."

"Guess you're right about that." Mai rubs the back of her head before glancing around. "Can't believe we actually fell down here…"

I let out a sigh. "Yeah, unfortunately…" I slowly stand up before cracking my back, feeling the stiffness and soreness settling into my body.

"Hey Nari…" Mai trails off; I turn to her. "Why didn't you reach out to Lin when he tried to grab you?"

I slightly stiffen, but Mai doesn't notice. "No reason…" I trail off before seeing Lin land next to Mai.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Base-

Ayako takes a bandage out to put on the scrape on Mai's knee. "A kidnapping?" She pulls away slightly, holding the bandage in her hands.

Mai stares down with a blank look. "Yeah… Or at least I think it was. The man just came up to the girl and walked away with her... That's why I believe her mother threw herself down the well..."

'Looks like her abilities are starting to show themselves…' I frown. 'She's not too far off. That man, for some reason or another, threw Tomiko into the pond so that she would drown. That loss must have caused the Oshima woman to throw herself down that well…' I glance out the door. 'We pieced together the story… now the hard part. Creating a proxy.'

"Hmph." Ayako sends Mai a skeptical look. "Since you're not a medium, I doubt your dreams hold any weight." Ayako places the bandage on Mai's knee. "So there." She smacks the bandage, causing Mai to release a pained groan.

"That hurts!"

"Hmm…" Lin places a hand over his mouth in thought. "Surprisingly enough, I think you may have hit the nail on the head."

"Wait, so you're saying you believe me?" Mai's eyes widen in happiness.

"I wouldn't go that far, but it's a definite possibility." He turns to me. "Nari, is something the matter? You look lost in thought."

I match his gaze before shaking my head. "It's nothing. It's just…" I trail off, thinking of a way to make it sound less suspicious. "Wouldn't it be more interesting if the man was leading Tomiko to the pond because he pretended to be taking her to her mother? Tomiko was at an age where children trust others too easily. So what if she followed the man and he ended up drowning her in that lake? I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be able to swim… and because of that, she ended up drowning."

"You have such a morbid outlook…" Ayako comments with a grimace. I merely smirk in response. 'You have no idea…'

"Is this a hunch?" Lin asks.

I shrug. "You can call it whatever you want, but I guess it just makes sense to me."

"Hmm… I see. I'll keep that in mind."

*plop* I turn to see Mai resting on the couch with her eyes closed. 'Looks like she's tired… she's been through a lot.'

Hearing several footsteps, I glance up to see Lin making his way over to me. Alarmed, I quickly rush to the door, ignoring his confused glance.

"Hey wait, where are you going?" Ayako calls out to me, causing me to halt in my steps. "I just need to change my bandages. I'll be right back."

"Wait-" I slam the door closed before entering my room. I let out a sigh. 'So much for not acting suspicious…' After taking out a new roll of bandages, I unravel the one wrapped around my bicep before throwing it away in the trash.

Taking one end in my mouth, I begin to cover my arm before the door suddenly swings open to reveal Ayako.

"Look, you can't just-" She pauses for a moment before walking over to me. "What are you bandaging?"

"Nothing." I mumble out with the bandage still in my mouth, feeling akin to a child caught by a parent for doing something she shouldn't have. She rolls her eyes before taking my arm in her grip.

"Eh? I didn't know you had a tattoo. It looks pretty strange…" Ayako trails off before I yank my arm away.

I shrug (or rather the best of a shrug I could manage) before tying together the two ends of the bandage. "It was a spur of the moment thing. My brother and I got it at the same time."

Ayako eyes the bandages. "Seeing as you're hiding it, I'm guessing you regret it?"

"You can say that. I would appreciate it if you don't let anyone else know about it. It's not something I like showing."

"Fine…" She releases an exasperated sigh. "Geez… kids these days. Next time think a little more before getting a tattoo alright?"

"I will. So what are you doing here anyway? I don't think you make it a hobby to walk into people's rooms without knocking right?"

She blushes slightly before huffing. "We're both girls… so not like it matters, but if you must know, I wanted to check on you."

"Really?" I deadpan.

"Yes, really." She huffs again. "Look, I'm not a heartless person and I'm not blind. You're afraid of Lin, aren't you?"

I slightly stiffen before relaxing my shoulders. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh really? Then why did you run away when he walked closer to you and why didn't you reach out to grab him with he was trying to stop you from falling into the well? Face it, you're afraid of him."

'Huh… looks like she's more observant than we give her credit for…'

"I'm not afraid of him. I just don't want to get close to him. I know he hates me; he's just tolerating me."

"That's-"

"You didn't send him to the hospital… and you didn't see him glare at you." My voice softens. "You didn't see the look he gave me the first time we met. He sees me as trash, just like everyone else used to look at me. "

"Nari…" Ayako 's face saddens.

I let out a sigh. "Geez, look at what you just made me do. I sound like such a brat." I let out a laugh. "Just drop it. We have a case to solve, don't we? We can't let Ayumi and Noriko down."

I leave the room, hearing an irritated sigh coming from Ayako. "That girl… I don't understand her…" I smirk. 'That's how it should be.'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

After returning to the base, I avoid Lin like the plague, sitting myself in the furthest couch as I continue to fill my sketchbook with more drawings. He sends me a calculating look but nevertheless continues to monitor the video feeds. After several hours or so of the stifling silence, we hear the others entering.

"You sure that's a good idea, Naru?" Housho asks just as Mai sits up in surprise to gaze at Naru with a blush.

'Talk about perfect timing…' I slightly frown. 'Must have been talking to Gene again…'

Ignoring Housho, he walks across the room as he takes off his jacket. "Lin, replay everything you've recorded so far." He sends a glance my way before making his way over to Lin. Mai gets up from the couch and walks over to Naru.

"Hey Naru, you're back!"

He glances back at Mai. "Yes, thank you Mai. I knew that already." He turns back to the monitors, causing Mai to silently fume as she raises one of her hands and clenches it in a fist.

I glance over to the others and offer them a wave. "Glad to have you all back."

"Wait, what?" Mai turns to the door to see Ayako, Housho, Kaz, Masako, and John smiling back at her.

"Yo." Housho sends her a wave.

"Don't 'yo' me! Why are you all back here? Aren't you supposed to be with Ayumi-chan?" Mai asks.

I send Mai a careless wave. "I doubt they would be here if Ayumi was in any danger."

Kaz sends a nod. "It appears we were no longer needed."

"Yeah, Naru told us to come back." Housho states.

"So we came back." John adds.

Mai sends Naru a worried look. "Are you positive she's alright?"

"She's fine. Everything ends tonight."

-Time skip-

Later that night…

Naru crosses his arms. "Hara-san, can you see what the spirits are doing?"

Masako slightly lifts her kimono sleeve before closing her eyes. "They're still in the living room. There's no indication they've left for the hotel."

Naru uncrosses his arms and turns to Ayako. "Matsuzaki-san, I want you to start making charms." He hands Ayako a thick stack of blank paper before turning to the others. "As for the rest of you, I want you all to post them throughout the house. We're going to raise a Kekkai barrier in here."

Housho frowns. "What exactly are you planning?"

"I'm planning to return Tomiko to her mother." Naru explains, earning gasps of surprise from everyone with the exception of Kaz and me. 'So he's going through with the proxy… looks like we don't have to interfere anymore Kaz. Naru's figured it all out.' I send Kaz a glance. 'But you must have hinted something else to him… he still seems suspicious.'

Mai takes a step forward. "But Tomiko-"

"Of course, it would be impossible to bring Tomiko here physically, but her mother will continue to haunt this place until we can create the illusion of her return. So we'll need… a substitute."

Mai gawks. "You don't mean Ayumi, do you?"

Everyone stares at Naru in shock.

"The problem lies with the woman. If we can't drive her out, then there was no point in coming here." Naru finishes with a shrug.

"Yes, but this woman is dangerous! She nearly killed Mai and Nari an hour ago when she pulled them in to the well! I think at some point, we need to start considering our own safety." Ayako bites out.

I let out a sigh. "You make it sound like I almost died." This earns surprised glances my way. They really shouldn't be surprised. "I fell into a well. It's not like I fell off a second story building… oh wait… that happened." I deadpan. "Look, falling into the well and almost drowning… It shouldn't really come as a surprise, seeing as I'm a trouble magnet. Besides, every time you deal with the paranormal, there's always a risk."

"Yeah…" Mai turns to the others. "So what, are you all going to abandon Ayumi-chan?" Mai adds, earning grimaces from the others as they look away. Her frown deepens. "C'mon, guys…"

Kaz lets out a sigh. "Well, this is certainly disheartening to see."

"I would have to agree." Naru crosses his arms. "I must say I'm disappointed; I was expecting much more. If you can't even think objectively, I don't need you."

Housho steps forward. "The risks are high! If we screw this up, our spirits could be trapped here as well."

Naru matches Housho's glare evenly before walking away. "Whether or not you want to participate is up to you." He walks to the door. "Mai, you're free to leave as well." With that, he disappears around the bend with Lin trailing behind him.

"Naru…" Mai trails off as she watches the door shut with a small click.

*sigh* "He's not easy to deal with is he…?" Ayako muses. "I feel sorry for you two girls."

I leave my perch from the couch and walk over to the others. "It's not so bad. He's just rather blunt." I lean my elbow against Kaz. "But it's obvious Naru cares for Ayumi. He doesn't seem the type to unnecessarily do things that bother him."

Kaz lets out a small chuckle. "That's a rather euphemistic way to present it… but I'd like to add that Naru knows what he's doing. He seems to have put a lot of thought into this plan of his."

Ayako sends the two of us disbelieving looks whereas Masako sends me a smile. "I believe that too. If Naru is prepared to go that far, there's at least a chance at success."

Mai frowns at Masako before turning to Housho.

"Huh." Housho places his hands on his waist. "You three do have a point and I trust Kaz's judgment, so if you think we should do it, then let's do it."

"Monk!" Mai turns to Housho with a smile.

He does a half shrug. "It's better than just waiting around."

"I agree. I think it's a good plan." John joins in.

Ayako frowns before releasing a tired sigh. "If you all end up dead, I'll gather up your bones."

"How nice of you." Kaz comments dryly, earning himself a glare in response. I shake my head. 'Looks like things are finally ending.' I glance over to the sketchbook to see it open to the ending I envisioned – Tomiko reuniting with her mother.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

We broke off into different parts of the house, putting up Ayako's charms. After covering Noriko's room with the charms, I detach the hidden bug and clip it back to my bracelet before joining the others in the hallway.

"So what exactly is the purpose of putting these charms everywhere?" Mai asks Ayako.

"It's simply-" Ayako begins, but gets cut off by Naru.

"To keep the spirits from leaving the house." We all turn to the stairwell to see Naru holding a book in his hand. "Be aware that we will be leaving the Demon gate open to distribute the spirits." He finishes as he stands next to me.

Ayako scoffs. "Fine, whatever. Why does he always act like such a big-shot?"

"Because it's Naru." Mai and Housho say with a smile before Mai turns to Housho. "Uh... Did he say 'Demon's gate'?"

Housho shakes his head. "No, Demon gate. The northeast quarter – it's the easiest gate for spirits to pass through."

"Takigawa-san, Matsuzaki-san, guard the Demon gate, and when the spirits exit, scatter them as best you can."

Housho rests his curled hands on his waist. "So we'll be reducing the number of children to draw the woman out?"

Naru turns to John and Kaz. "John, Kaz. I want you two to cover the living room and do the same."

"Sure." John answers with a smile.

"Very well." Kaz allows a smirk to enter his face, already knowing who will do the main exorcism.

Housho places a hand on his chin. "Wait a minute… who's going to conduct the main exorcism?"

Ayako, Mai, and Housho look up in thought before gawking in surprise. "Wait, you can't mean-!" They all look at Naru to see him glancing through his book before he looks up with a smug smirk.

I let out a laugh. "This will be great."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Living room-

John stands before the well in his priest robes with Kaz next to him with his sword. Naru stands off to the side, leaning against the wall whereas Mai and I flank Masako who sits several feet away from Kaz and John. Masako grips my hand in hers as a pained expression enters her face.

John takes out a vial of holy water as Kaz loosens the bindings wrapping his sword.

Closing his eyes and waving the water before him, John begins. "Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name."

Kaz unsheathes his sword and holds it horizontally. "A lingering shroud of darkness among the living – one that refuses to pass on."

Masako's grip on my hand tightens before she grabs Mai's arm as well.

"Masako?" I call out to her, feeling her trembling against my side.

"Is something wrong?" Mai adds.

"Some things are addressed to the spirit directly, to help them with issues they've had in their past lives... Only a medium can be successful at it..." She explains before glancing at Naru before looking away.

"Naru's not a medium." I add, earning a nod.

"That's right… he plans to do an exorcism instead."

Mai sends a confused glance at the two of us. "What's the difference between an exorcism and a cleansing?"

"In a cleansing you try to persuade the spirits to reform... But in an exorcism the goal is…" Masako trails off as a pained look enter her face.

"…to destroy or kill the spirit mercilessly." I finish for her, feeling her tighten her hold on my hand.

Mai frowns. "That's horrible."

"I wish he wouldn't exorcise her... at least not in my presence…" Masako adds sadly.

*jerk*

*gasp*

Mai flies forward before crashing onto the ground.

"Mai." I call out, causing John and Kaz to halt their chants.

"You alright?" Masako asks.

Shaking her head, Mai gets up. "Yeah… I'm fine."

Seeing Mai in no danger, John and Kaz continue.

"In the beginning was the word and the word was with God." John continues.

"All things must come to an end and to reach that end, there is a price." Kaz adds.

As the words escape him, the spirits of the children stream out of the well and into the room.

Naru turns to Masako. "Hara-san, how is it going?"

She glances up at the ceiling. "They're attempting to escape. Their numbers are dropping rapidly… all of them are running away from the living room… all crying…" She finishes sadly.

Mai turns to Masako. "Hey, wait. Why don't you go ahead and try to cleanse the children's spirits right now?"

Masako shakes her head. "Impossible! Not while the woman's spirit is still here." She explains before taking a step back and covering her mouth with her hands.

*gasp* "She's coming out..!"

*drip*

A figure cloaked in dark mist rises out of the well, head bowed. "Tomiko… Tomiko…" She rasps before lifting up her face slowly, showing us her blank eyes.

"Tomiko is not here! These children do not belong to you. Please set them free. Can't you see the pain their suffering? They just want to return to their real mothers. Let them go!" Masako pleads before letting out another gasp.

Dismembered hands creep out from the well before charging toward us. Kaz and John fight them off, but John is soon sent careening into a nearby wall.

"John!" I make my way over to him, only to feel something grab my left arm.

'Not again…' I place my hand on my arm and try to pull away, feeling the skin under the bandages burn.

"Nari?" Masako calls out.

"I can't move my arm…" I bite out.

"What?" Mai attempts to pull my arm free. "It's stuck!"

The woman casts her gaze over to me before tilting her head to the side. "You…"

Kaz blocks her view of me as he holds up his sword.

A frown enters the woman's face before she switches her gaze to Naru. Unperturbed, Naru makes his way over to the woman.

"Naru, please don't." Masako pleads, but he ignores her. "Wait."

"Naru!" Mai calls out, but he too ignores her.

He stops just before the woman's spirit. "Your daughter is right here." He holds out a Hitou Gata. "Take the children you're gathered with you and leave this place!" He throws the Hitou Gata up in the air before it begins to surround itself in a calming, yellow light. The woman's expression morphs into surprise as the light takes on the shape of a smiling girl – Tomiko. Eyes wide, the woman reaches for the child and once she touches Tomiko's hands, the dark mist once surrounding her fades into a warm, golden glow.

Masako touches my arm. "Nari, Mai. Look." The spirits of the other children soon take on a golden light of their own as they fly around Tomiko and her mother with smiles on their faces. The grip on my arm loosens before a spirit circles around it.

_Thank you… _

_I can finally go back… _

_We're free…_

I let out a soft smile before the spirit rejoins the others as they all disappear from sight.

"They're all free… they were finally cleansed." Masako observes in awe.

**DAY 7 **

-Scene change: Font Door-

Noriko sends us all an appreciative smile. "You have no idea how grateful I am for your help. I just heard from my brother and he said he'll be returning as soon as he can."

"Really?" Mai smiles back. "That's great."

Noriko looks down, worry etched on her face. "But… is it really alright now? Is the house safe?"

"There's no need to worry." Naru answers before heading out the door with the others. I stay back and crouch down in front of Ayumi. "I wish you the best Ayumi. Be good and stay safe alright?"

She nods before a frown enters her face. "Do you and Mai have to go? I don't want to lose my new friends."

I smile sadly before rubbing the top of her hair affectionately. "Afraid so… but you can always come visit us once in a while. I'm sure Noriko wouldn't mind."

Ayumi looks up at Noriko with a pleading look. 'Puppy dog eyes… classic.' I shake my head.

"Of course." Noriko answers before embracing Ayumi. I smile at the two, knowing they would always have each other. Opening my sketchbook, I pull out a page before handing it to the two. "I wanted to give this to you sooner, but things got in the way. I hope you two like it."

Ayumi's eyes widen in joy as does Noriko's. "It's to remind you two that you'll always be there for each other no matter what."

"Thanks Nari!" Ayumi jumps at me before wrapping her arms around my neck. I pat Ayumi's back before handing Noriko the picture.

"Thank you Nari. We'll treasure it."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Outside-

**(First person perspective – Kazama)**

I watch Nari, Ayumi, and Noriko with a smile before softly closing the door, noticing Naru glancing back at it before walking to the others.

'He's taken quite the interest in her. Not a good sign, but it's not surprising.' I let out a sigh. 'Nari's not like most girls… and she's not exactly subtle in her hints. His suspicions of her are starting to grow and knowing Naru, he won't stop until he's figured her out. That's just how his pride works… You just had to have a nosy brother, didn't you Gene?' I pinch the bridge of my nose before turning around to see Nari exiting the house with a soft smile, causing one to appear on my face as well. I lower my hand. 'Exactly what am I going to do with you Nari?' I let out a small chuckle, startling her.

"Kaz?" She blinks owlishly at me before frowning. "You were listening in, weren't you?"

I quirk a brow. "Whatever do you mean?"

She lets out a sigh. "Forget it."

I ruffle her hair before we join the others.

*slam* Housho swipes his hands before walking to the others. "That was the last monitor. We're set to go."

Mai turns to Naru. "So what was that little thingy you gave the ghost?"

"It was a Hitou Gata." Naru answers simply, causing a frown to appear on Mai's face.

"Meaning…?"

"It's the original form of the straw effigies used for curses. You take a piece of Paulownia wood and carve it in the shape of the person you want to put a spell on." Housho explains as he closes his eyes, earning a disbelieving look from Ayako.

"Baka. That's how you put a curse on someone!"

"Not necessarily." The others turn to me. "Almost all forms of spell casting have a light and dark side. Light spells assist the person, whereas dark ones cause harm."

Housho sends me a grateful look. "Exactly. It's like the spell to disperse a sworn enemy in Esoteric Buddhism. It can be used both ways."

"A Hitou Gata is simply a vessel used to contain a spirit. For example let's say I patterned a paper effigy after Mai." He sends Mai a glance. "If I were to damage the Hitou Gata, Mai would be harmed as well. That's how close one is to the real person."

Eyes wide, Mai grabs her shoulder briefly before lowering her hand and composing herself. "So that one was…?"

"Made for Tomiko." Nari fills in before adding, "Because of the closeness it has to the real person, that woman believed we returned Tomiko to her, which allowed her to be cleansed along with the spirits of the other children."

Naru nods in reply, still keeping an eye on Nari who only smiles in response.

A smile appears on Housho's face. "I'm impressed you made a successful Hitou Gata that quickly. Was that why you went off earlier?"

After narrowing his eyes, he turns away from Nari to face Housho. "To make the Hitou Gata, I needed Tomiko's date of birth and death. The woman was Oshima Heiro and Tomiko was her only child. The girl had disappeared one day and her body had surfaced from the pond six months later. A couple of years after, Oshima's house was demolished before the house we see before us was constructed."

"Tomiko..." Lin starts, earning Mai and Nari's attention, "Do you know if she was kidnapped or killed? Is that why the mother threw herself down the well?"

Naru looks down with a frown. "There was no mention of a kidnapping or murder…" He trails off before uncrossing his arms and glancing up at the house. "The important thing is this house is free of spirits."

"Naru…" Mai trails off before a soft expression enters her face. 'It seems Gene's plan is starting to take affect… but…' I glance over to see Nari sending Naru a soft smile as well before she shakes her head as a small laugh escapes her lips.

"I still can't figure him out…"

I frown. 'Nari might be developing feelings for him as well… As things stand right now, I can only see heartache for those two girls… I just hope I'm wrong this time around.'

Ignoring the others, Naru and Lin enter the van.

"Wow... I never would've pegged him as an Omnioji..." Housho musses aloud.

Mai tilts her head to the side in confusion. "Omnioji? Like that Abae guy?"

Housho offers a half shrug. "Fashioning a Hitou Gata after Tomiko and cleansing the mother is pretty complicated. Only an Omnioji can pull that off."

"That's amazing. With how young Naru is…" Ayako comments with a smile.

"Amazing?" Mai repeats.

"Well, it's definitely cool."

"Mai-chan." I turn to see Ayumi glance up at Mai.

"Nari said it was ok for me to see you two again, is it?"

Mai sends Nari a confused glance who returns it with a smile.

Shaking her head, Mai turns to Ayumi with a smile. "Tell you what, if you ever need us, just call."

"Promise?" Ayumi holds out both pinkies, causing me to release a chuckle.

Nari and Mai approach Ayumi and connect their pinkies together. "Promise."

I gaze softly at the scene before frowning, feeling some form of looming darkness settle over Nari. 'It appears it's starting to act up again.' Knitting together my brows, I glance down at my sword to feel it pulsating in my grip. 'You notice it as well… It appears things will become more troubling.'

* * *

**AN: That's the end of this case. Feelings are starting to develop and it looks like Kaz is the only one who sees the looming danger because of them. Next case will be a bit different from the other chapters, but it'll still be an interesting read. I'm going to be introducing another character, but she's not going to be quite straightforward. Anyway, I hope this chapter was enjoyable and worth the wait. Until next time. **

**Ja ne~**

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

Review Responses:

_Twilight Dark Angel: Hi again :D Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like how the story is going so far. I apologize for the long wait but I hope it was worth it. :P_

_RAZHEL: Good to see you again :D Thanks for the review and I'm glad you enjoy this story so much. I'm glad you liked the scene with Naru and Nari teasing one another. I thought it would be nice to bring out a little humor in Naru since that's lacking in the actual series. The next chapter is going to a bit more complex with a new character and like all my Oc's, she's going to be hiding a pretty big secret. Hopefully SPR doesn't figure it out too soon, since that'll spoil all the fun. Luckily I will give hints and it will probably be obvious as time passes._

_Jem Juliette Jewels Jade: Hi again :D Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. _

_bored411: Welcome back ;D Thanks for the advice and input and I'm glad you liked how the chapter turned out. I thought it would be funny to have the other members of SPR attempting to figure out Nari's gun even though it didn't really work out the way they planned. D: Well, except for Naru anyway. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well._

_MCRDanime: Thanks for the review and I hope the chapter is to your liking. :D_


	7. File 3: The After School Hexer Part 1

**AN: Hi all. :D This chapter's a bit dense in information because of the new character, but I hope you will bear with me on this. Kaz will get some more attention in this chapter, seeing as Nari's condemned to bed rest… Keep in mind that not everything is going to be what it seems. With that said, on with the chapter. :D**

**{~}**

**Notes:**

_[Visions]_

_'Video events'_

'Thoughts'

"Normal conversation"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of the characters except my Oc's. All rights of the picture used in the cover belong to the artist.**

* * *

**NOVEMBER**

**SUNDAY**

-SPR office-

**(First person perspective – Nari)**

"I'm sorry to intrude… but is it possible for me to meet with someone…?"

I glance up from my perch on the couch to see a girl wearing the Yuwasa High School uniform wringing her hands nervously. Noticing the girl's uneasiness, Mai offers her a comforting smile.

"It's no problem at all. Could you give me an overview of your case? I need something to present to my boss."

The news startles the girl but she nods. "Oh… yes. It's just that I believe a friend of mine is possessed… It began after we started playing with an Ouija Board… ever since then, she's been acting strange."

Worry enters Mai's face before she nods. "Alright. Let me just check with my boss." With that, Mai gets up from her seat and enters Naru's office. The girl continues to fiddle with her hands, chancing a glance every now and then to Naru's door.

'She really uneasy… whatever happened must have shaken her up pretty badly… that and maybe she has a close relationship to this friend of hers…' I thought before getting up from my perch and approaching the girl.

"It's more comfortable to sit down." I state, startling the girl. She sends me a sheepish smile.

"Uh… sorry… you surprised me." She looks down sheepishly, causing me to send her a comforting smile.

"It's alright. I guess I should have stomped or something to let you know I was there… then again, that may have annoyed my boss." I muse aloud, causing her to relax slightly. "You should take a seat. I'm sure Mai will be back soon with Naru."

"Naru?" She blinks in confusion before taking a seat on one of the leather couches.

I give her a shrug. "It's a nickname the girl that just left gave to our boss but I suppose he'd rather be referred to as Shibuya-san."

*click* The door opens.

"I see…" She trails off before looking up to see Naru walk into the room with a black notebook and Mai trailing behind him with a tray and tea.

Naru strolls over to the couch opposite the girl whereas Mai approaches the girl and sets down a steaming cup of tea with cream and sugar. "Here you go."

The girl looks up at Mai in surprise before nodding. "Oh… arigato."

Crossing his legs, Naru flips open his notebook before holding his pen to the paper. "So from what I understand, ever since you played with an Ouija Board, this friend of yours has been behaving strangely."

The girl looks down sadly as she clenches her hands on her knees. "Hai... she would suddenly fling herself on top of her desk during class, and she'd eat sand from the sandpit during PE."

Mai grimaces before taking a step back.

"That's why I began to suspect that she might be possessed by an evil fox of some kind." Her hands begin to tremble.

I frown. 'A fox spirit… that's… very specific. Not many people would differentiate spirits since they all appear to be the same to an average person. The fact that she does means there's something else she's not telling us… or there have been other instances to make her believe it's a specifically a fox spirit causing this.' I furrow my brows. 'There's also the chance she's spiritually sensitive, but something tells me that's not it...' I glance over to Naru.

He clips his pen on the cover of the notebook before closing it and placing it down on the table. "I suggest you bring your friend to a hospital." He advises before getting up and heading to the door.

"Eh?" The girl looks at Naru in disbelief.

"H-hey, Naru!" Mai calls out, but he had already closed the door.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**FILE 3:**

**The After School Hexer – Part 1**

Mai slams her hands on the table, glaring at Naru who merely looks down at his notebook. "I'm sure you could have said that in a nicer way." She scolds.

Not looking up from his notebook, he replies, "All I said was that it sounded like her friend needed a doctor."

"You could have at least referred her to someone reliable! Or even gave her a chance rather than turn her away right then and there."

I let out a sigh. "Geez, you two are like an old married couple…" This earns looks of disbelief my way. Well one look of disbelief and a glare from a red-faced Mai. I shake my head. "I agree with Mai though… I don't think you should have turned her down. It seemed like she was leaving out some pieces…"

She blinks. "Why do you say that?" I turn to face Mai.

My lips curl upwards into a knowing smile. "A hunch."

This causes her to slump her shoulders. "You and your hunches... they're seriously starting to creep me out." I merely smile in response.

*click*

"Knock, knock."

I glance to the door before blinking several times to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Nope. Definitely wasn't seeing things. Housho sends us a wave, but he wasn't… well Housho? The man in front of me is wearing a cowboy hat, shades, a white leather jacket on top of a purple dress shirt, and what looked like leather pants…? Top that off with a guitar case strapped to his back. Definitely not something I would associate with Housho, but I suppose the saying "you can never guide a book by its cover" holds true right now.

"Hey Naru, what's up?" Housho calls out before making his way to the couch.

"Who're you?" Mai asks but he doesn't answer, rather he rests his case and jacket on the couch before taking a seat and removing his hat.

"Man, let me tell you, coming to Shibuya on a Sunday is crazy." He turns to Mai who further inches away from him. "Ah Mai, be a dear and get me an iced coffee would you?"

Mai gawks. "N-no way… is that Monk in there?"

I laugh. "There, there Mai." I pat her shoulder. "I'll take care of the iced coffee. Take all the time you need to let this sink in."

"Eh? You knew?"

I shrug as I make my way out of the room. "I thought the voice gave it away." I call out before entering the kitchen.

After setting up the coffee machine, I press the on button before placing an ice-filled glass under the nozzle. After several seconds, my vision blurs.

_[Water. A gun. A shot. Nothing, then a stab. Ayumu falling. Another shot. Darkness.]_

I shakily hold a hand to my face. 'That vision again… but it's different this time. What's going on? If it's appeared again then that means…!'

*stab*

A jolt of pain runs down my side, causing me to clutch at it in an attempt to lessen the pain. My eyes widen when I feel a wet substance coating my hand. 'What?' I slowly uncover my hand to see it covered in blood.

'How did... no, Ayumu. He's hurt. I have to see if he's fine.' With trembling hands, I take out my phone before concentrating on Ayumu's spirit. 'Please, please don't connect… don't connect…'

*bzz*bzz*bzz*

The phone pulsates a glowing crimson as it vibrates, confirming my worst fear.

'No…you can't be… you can't…' I sway on my feet before a hazy darkness covers my eyes.

*crash*

"Nari? Are you alright? I heard a crash." Mai calls out. I don't answer.

The door cracks open and I hear a gasp.

"Nari?! What happened? Nari!" I hear Mai's frantic voice, but all I can do is stare at the vibrating phone in my hand, silently willing it to disconnect.

"Ayumu…" I shakily tighten my grip on my phone. 'Please… please be alive. I can't lose you, Ayumu…' The vibrations continue before finally the aura disappears, ending the call. I let out a shaky breath. 'You escaped… the call stopped…' I weakly turn my eyes to the side to see Mai's concerned face.

"Naru! Monk! Nari just collapsed. She's bleeding!"

"What?!"

I hear the sound of pounding footsteps before the door slams open. Their eyes widen at the blood. Snapping out of his stupor, Housho rushes over to me.

Naru turns to Mai. "What happened, Mai?"

She throws her hands in the air. "I don't know. I just heard a crash and she was just like this!"

"Hey kid, stay with us here." Housho tells me. I send him a weak nod. "Your coffee's… at the machine…" I mutter out, earning myself a look of disbelief. "Really? Like that's important right now."

More footsteps.

"Nari!" Kaz appears in the doorway.

"Kaz?! What are you doing here?" Mai asks.

"That's not important. We need to take her to the hospital."

Gritting his teeth, Naru bolts out of the room. "Lin!"

"Kaz…" I weakly croak out, earning the attention of those in the room. "Ayumu… he's hurt. He almost died…"

A pained expression enters his face before he weakly smiles down at me. "Shh… it's alright. He's fine."

Lin appears at the doorway. "The ambulance is on its way."

I shake my head. "No, you don't get it. He's-" I make a move to sit up, ignoring the pain in my side. This spurs cries of disbelief.

"Oi! You're in no shape to be moving around like that!" Housho scolds, but I merely brush him off.

"I'm fine!" I snap back before gripping my head in pain. "You don't understand… you have no idea what… this feels like…" I trail off before I slump forward. "Ayumu… you better not die." I mutter before my vision fades to black.

"Nari!"

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-Scene change: Hospital-

**(First person perspective – Kazama)**

I give the doctor my thanks before he takes his leave. Releasing a sigh, I turn to the others seated in the waiting room. When I walk in, all eyes turn my way.

"How is she?" Mai asks, causing a small smile to enter my face. 'As caring as always…'

"Nari's going to be fine. She didn't lose enough blood for it to be life-threatening, but she did have to get stitches on her side for that laceration…" I trail off. "Unfortunately for her, she'll be confined to bed rest, seeing as she keeps ripping open her stitches by overexerting herself whenever the nurses are around." I shake my head. "That girl…"

Lin furrows his brows in thought. "Has this ever happened before? You did say she has a long history in the hospital…"

I gaze at Lin suspiciously. 'I wonder why he's curious… it's already been cleared that he dislikes Nari… Still, it's an honest question, nothing I can do to avoid it.' Releasing a tired sigh, I answer, "Unfortunately, yes. As you would have guessed by now… as well as seen with your own eyes, Nari tends to attract trouble wherever she goes. I suppose that's why she decided to avoid people altogether at one point. It's rather understandable if you think about it." My frown deepens. "Not to mention… Nari and Ayumu share a bond much closer than normal siblings, twins even."

"Ayumu… that's the name she kept muttering in the office, wasn't it?" Housho breaks in.

"Huh…" Mai scrunches up her face. "So Ayumu is Nari's twin?"

"Yes to both comments. As twins, Nari and Ayumu are able to sense when the other is in deep emotional or physical pain. Somehow the connection has grown strong enough that Nari would receive the same wounds as Ayumu but to a much lesser degree. Unfortunately, that doesn't dull the pain receptors." I trail off as I glance out the window.

"They must be really close… When she collapsed, she kept muttering his name, wishing he was ok. It sounds like she really cares for him..." Her voice softens. "I would always see her off to the side spacing out. When I asked her about it, she would tell me she was thinking of someone who was far away. I'm guessing she's been worrying for him this whole time." Mai muses aloud. "I think I'm starting to understand her, if just a little bit."

I smile in response. "You're right… Nari truly cares for him… if I had to describe the two of them I would say they are two halves to a whole. They can't really live without each other." I smile sadly. "He was basically all she had for most of her life… that is, before my family adopted her."

"So when she said I wouldn't understand, was that what she was referring to?" Housho voices out.

I shrug. "Partly. Nari's… different. She has abilities a normal girl should never have, abilities that come with a price. In exchange for that deep connection with Ayumu, Nari undergoes the same physical stress as her twin. Seeing as she was convinced Ayumu was dying, we can say she was merely hiding the pain away in the office. I'm certain she was at her breaking point there; she just chose not to show it."

"So that's why she called herself a liability." Naru adds.

I nod. "Unfortunately. But knowing her, she'll probably take some pain killers and claim to be fine. She does detest hospitals with a passion." I trail off before facing Naru. "I know she has obligations at work, but would it be possible to allow her some time to recover? Despite her words and façade, she's suffering right now. I can't image what it feels like to relive a twin's supposed death as well as receive the same wounds. Still, I've seen it enough to have an idea."

Naru doesn't falter in his gaze, but the slight darkening of his expression tells me I had hit a nerve. Crossing his arms, he glances over to Nari's room. "That's fine. I can't have an invalid on a case with me. It would only slow us down."

"You jerk!" Mai rounds up on him. "You shouldn't treat her like that. She already has enough to deal with. She doesn't need to add your attitude along with it." He sends Mai an unreadable look.

I frown at his behavior. 'That tone of yours… it's quite different from your usual voice… even with the slight differences when you talk to those you respect and those you don't. I may be reading too much into this… but I can't take any chances when it concerns Nari.'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Nari's room-

"Are you still thinking about it?" I ask in amusement. She matches my gaze.

"No."

I smirk, catching the slight difference in her tone. "You're lying."

"I'm not." She huffs before blanching at my deadpan expression. "Ok… I was thinking about it." She finally concedes. "I hate the fact that you're a human lie detector."

I shake my head. "As much as I would be _honored_ with such an ability…" I trail off, causing her to release an undignified snort. "I'm not. I have merely spent enough time with you to learn the different fluctuations in your voice. If I were to do so with others, the same would result."

She shakes her head. "Meaning you are a human lie detector. That was just your fancy way of explaining the same thing." She finishes with a sigh, causing a smirk to enter my face.

"I see the blood loss has not affected your brain, hime."

At the name, she releases a growl. "Don't call me that… and it's not like this is the first time this has happened…" She trails off. I smile sadly in response.

"I know… back to the topic at hand, is it truly wise for you to take that risk? Considering the condition you are in, will you be able to fulfill your role?"

"Does that really matter? I know my obligations and I always fulfill my end."

"True, but remember that Naru has agreed to allow you time to rest and recover. I suggest you make the best of this opportunity."

"I don't see how he agreed to that…" She mutters to herself but allows a small smile to enter her face. "He's not easy to profile… but I guess that's what makes him interesting."

I frown. 'That tone again… you really don't realize it, do you? It's the same tone you use when you talk to Gene…' Shoving the thoughts aside, I add, "You need to get some rest."

She crosses her arms. "Pfft. You don't expect me to relax in a hospital now, do you?"

I smile. "Of course not." I stand before offering her my hand. "Shall we return home?"

"Yeah… I don't think I can stay here any longer."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**MONDAY **

-Scene change: Yuwasa High School-

"So how's Nari doing?" Mai asks, breaking the stifling silence between Housho, herself, and me as we wait for Naru and Lin to arrive.

"Yeah, how is she?" Housho scratches the back of his head before a weak smile enters his face. "She looked pretty lively in the hospital, but I suppose that's just how she is?"

"Thankfully she's recovering, but she's rather upset at being left behind." I release a chuckle. "And yes, Housho… I suppose that was merely bad timing or rather good timing if you think about it… I did tell you that Nari detests hospitals with a passion correct?"

Housho sweat drops. "You did… but I didn't expect her to be fighting off the nurses with a chair…"

"Her antics will grow on you."

He scratches the back of his head. "I guess… so how did you stop Nari from coming? From what we've seen, she doesn't really like sitting around away from the action…"

I send them a deceptively pleasant smile, resulting in them shying away in nervousness.

"Handcuffs and chains." I answer simply. They gawk.

"Wait a minute…" Mai composes herself. "You can't be serious!"

I shrug. "When it comes to Nari, you have to go to the extremes at times."

Housho sweat drops. "That's… a bit… much though."

Housho and Mai send each other a look before slightly backing away, causing me to release an amused chuckle. At that moment, Lin pulls the van into the driveway before the two exit from the vehicle.

"Let's head to the principal's office." Naru announces before wordlessly heading into the school.

As we make our way through the halls, a flash of white in the corner of my eye catches my attention, causing me to slow my steps. I turn my gaze and notice a girl with starkly white, wavy hair and bright amber eyes smiling at me for a moment before walking away. I blink for a moment. Then another. That couldn't have been… No. That was definitely her. I remember that smile anywhere – that smile that only promised trouble. I allow a small chuckle to escape my lips. She actually took on this case as well. I wonder how Naru will react to her.

"Kaz?"

I turn to Mai to see her sending me a curious look.

"It's nothing, Mai. I just saw something rather interesting."

"Interesting?"

I nod. "You'll find out soon." Not satisfied with the answer, she pouts, causing me to release a small chuckle and rub the top of her head. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, you wouldn't want your pretty face to be stuck like that, now would you?"

Mai's face flushes before she hastily escapes and rushes to a surprised Housho. I blink. 'How odd…'

Upon entering the room, we are greeted with the sight of two men, the principal and possibly a teacher or counselor. The principal gestures for us to take a seat on the couches, which Housho, Lin, and Naru take whereas Mai and I continue to stand.

"Thank you all for coming." The principal motions to the man behind him. "This is Yoshino-sensei, our guidance counselor. He'll be giving you a tour of the school."

He bows his head slightly in greeting. "It's nice to meet you…"

I knit my brows in thought. 'That's a rather sickly complexion. Bags under his eyes… pale skin… it doesn't appear he's had a good night's rest for a long period of time. Could he possibly be another victim?'

"As you have requested, a conference room has been cleared out for you to set up in. We announced that anyone who wishes to speak with you to go there." The principal explains.

Naru nods. "We appreciate it."

We all make a move to leave, but the principal stops us.

"One more thing… it appears a teacher in the school hired another investigative team. They have been reviewing some of the instances at this school on the side without my knowledge before finally deciding to physically address the case." The principal rubs his head sheepishly.

I let out an amused chuckle. 'You haven't changed. It seems you still only take cases that interest you…' I furrow my brows in thought. 'But if you've decided to appear in person despite your condition rather than through the computer screen... it means there's something in this case that has a personal meaning to you.'

"They arrived shortly before you all and have been further briefed on the case. They're a rather… unusual pair, but I wish you all the best just the same." The principal walks over to the door and opens it for us. "I asked them to meet with you all in the conference room, so please head over there once the tour is finished. Yoshino-sensei will show you the way."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**(First person perspective - ?)**

-Scene change: Conference room-

Glancing out the window, I run a hand through my wavy locks before breathing out a sigh. "You do understand you're taking a big risk by being here right?" I voice out before flicking my crimson eyes to my partner across the room. Turning away from the window, he matches his purple eyes to my crimson ones before offering me a comforting smile.

"I know that, and I can say the same to you." He glances down at the ring on his hand. "But I suppose this is a risk worth taking."

I release a tired sigh before walking across the room to take his hand in mine, hearing my heels clicking against the wooden floor. "You're rather idiotic…" I murmur before offering him a small smile. "But I appreciate you doing this for me."

"You're not exactly wise and all-knowing yourself. But…" His smile deepens. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you." I shake my head sadly before taking several steps back when I hear the tell-tale noise of an approaching party.

"It looks like they're finally here." I mutter, causing him to face the window with his hands in his pockets.

The door slides open and the others soon join us in the conference room. A girl with brown hair looks around the room curiously.

"This is home base huh?"

Ignoring her, a man dressed in all black clothing glances around. 'The resemblance is startling.' I glance over to my partner, noticing his gaze softening as he watches the others' reflection in the glass. 'It looks like you found someone you recognize…'

The man turns to the taller Chinese man to his right. "We should start setting up the equipment right away, Lin."

He nods. "Right."

His gaze finally stops on me, causing his eyes to slightly widen in response. I merely smirk in response. 'This will be interesting.'

Yoshino-sensei walks over to me before gesturing to the others. "This is the team the principal asked you to meet with."

"I see…" I trail my eyes across the group, noticing some nervously smiling back at me. 'I guess my appearance unsettles them…'

"It's a pleasure to meet you all… ahh…" I trail off before offering a sheepish smile. "I apologize. I'm not entirely sure what or how to address you all."

The brown-haired girl offers me a kind, yet nervous smile. "It's alright. I'm Taniyama Mai, one of the assistants."

The man with blonde hair (tied into a ponytail) offers a wave. "I'm a monk from Mt. Kaya; the name's Takigawa Housho."

A man with black hair (tied in a ponytail) offers me a pleasant smile. "Saitou Kazama, but I prefer to be called by Kaz."

'Not surprised to see him here… My luck has never been good when it comes to him.'

I turn to the man dressed in all black. "Shibuya Kazuya." He answers simply before the man next to him answers, "Koujo Lin."

I smile at Kazuya's answer. "Izayoi Naomi. As you've probably heard from the principal, I was hired by one of the teachers here to investigate the odd occurrences taking place in the school." I slightly frown. "I was only informed this morning another team was hired as well."

"It appears we're in the same boat then." Housho states as he rubs the back of his head awkwardly.

Mai sends a curious look to my partner. "Umm… Izayoi-san? Who's the man standing next to you?"

At the reference, my partner slightly turns away from the window, glancing at them from the corner of his eyes. "I guess I can't really hide, can I?" He jokes lightly before turning to them fully. "The name's Saitou Ayumu."

"Eh?!" Mai gawks. "Y-you're kidding right?"

"Man, that's one scary resemblance. He looks just like Naru… well except for the eyes." Housho comments before facing the man clad in black.

Naru's eyes narrow, but he doesn't comment.

Kaz steps forward with a blank expression. "So this is where you disappeared to without any word for years?" The cold edge in his voices causes the other occupants to look at him in surprise. "No note, no contact. Do you have any idea what you've put Nari through all these years?"

Ayumu gazes at Kaz with a sad smile. "Of course I know. Still, she understands I'm doing this for her, so she'll just have to wait a little longer before I come back home. As of right now, I'm Naomi's assistant."

Mai takes a step forward. "Ayumu right?" He turns to Mai and offers her a nod. "I don't know what's going on, but Nari really misses you… she always worries for you, so why don't you go see her? She just got out of the hospital with the same injuries as you."

Ayumu's eyes widen in surprise before he turns to Kaz. "So you told them that much huh…" He shakes his head. "I can't, not yet."

"But-" Mai starts again, but I interrupt.

"As much as I would like to continue this conversation…" I mutter blandly before turning to Yoshino-sensei, "we have a case that needs to be taken care of and it appears Yoshino-sensei needs to discuss something with us."

At his name, Yoshino-sensei widens his eyes before nodding. "That's right… I want to talk to you before the other students arrive." He glances between me and the other team. "Who should I speak with?"

Noticing his uneasiness at my appearance, I gesture to the other team. "I'm sure they'll be happy to listen to your concerns." I make my way to the door. "Ayumu, if you don't mind staying here to take down the interrogations, I'll be taking my leave."

"Will do." He calls back with a wave. "Don't fall into any manholes while you're at it."

The others send him confused glances which he only responds with an easy-going smile.

I let out a small chuckle. "No promises, but I will do my best to avoid it if I can help it, Ayumu."

"Eh? Izayoi-san, where are you going? Aren't we supposed to work on this case together?"

I turn to Mai with a smile. "That's indeed true, but I know when I'm not entirely wanted. Do excuse me." I close the door behind me before heading over to the biology prep room, only to find it locked.

'Looks like I'm going to have to look around instead…'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Meanwhile… back at the base-

**(First person perspective – Kazama)**

I glance at the closed door. 'I forgot how unsettling her appearance can be to others… I suppose it's not surprising she chose to leave or why she chooses to address most of her cases through a computer screen, even if that is not the only reason why. Even so, she won't let such a thing hinder her.'

After shaking off Naomi's sudden departure, we all observe Naru's interview with Yoshino-sensei. Lin and Ayumu sit opposite one another at the shorter sides of the table, typing away on their laptops whereas Naru sits scross from Yoshino-sensei.

Glancing down nervously, Yoshino-sensei starts his explanation. "Umm… You see… I hear knocking noises at night. It wouldn't stop so I finally got up to open the curtain … to find a dismembered ghostly hand knocking on the window."

Mai gawks before inching back in surprise.

"I haven't been able to sleep properly at night because of it…" Yoshino-sensei trails off.

'So that explains his worn appearance…'

Naru places a hand on his chin. "Has anyone else heard the knocking?"

He nods. "My family does… but it doesn't seem to bother them as much as it does me."

Elbows on the table, Naru clasps his hands together in front of his mouth. "I see."

**15:00**

Lin and Ayumu continue typing as a student sits in front of Naru with her anxiously gripping her knees.

"You are Itou Kiyomi?" Naru asks.

"Hai."

"Back at the agency, I believe you said your friend was possessed by a fox. Is she here?"

Kiyomi's expression saddens. "No… she's absent, as usual."

Naru frowns slightly. "I recall you saying she was jumping on desks and eating sand?"

She looks up to Naru. "That's not all…" She trails off. I notice a slight change in his expression and Mai sending him an 'I-told-you-so' look.

'I wonder what that exchange was about?'

Not noticing the slight shift in her listeners, she continues, "One time she dove into the pool with her uniform on. It was forty degrees that day…"

"Has she harmed anyone?"

Her eyes widen in surprise before she shakes her head. "No."

"Normally, one would assume her behavior to be attributed to a mental illness." Naru explains. "So why do you believe she was possessed by a fox spirit?"

"Because she said, "I am the silver fox who resides under O-Inari-sama." Not only that… it's because she starting acting strangely ever since we used the Ouija Board. After we were done with it, she suddenly said she felt like she was possessed by something." Her frown deepens and her hands begin to tremble. "I told her it was impossible, but she said she felt really weird. It was the day after that where she starting behaving differently…"

Mai sends Housho a glance.

Glancing up, Naru places the hand holding his pen over his mouth. "Where were you using the Ouija Board?"

"Classroom 1-3."

-Time skip-

A girl wearing red track sweats sits across from Naru.

"There's something weird in the Track and Field Clubroom… The lockers fall over by themselves and things get strewn all over the floors. A few of us thought it might be a prank, so we stayed around to keep watch. No one knows how it happened, but the moment we looked away… somehow the shot-put balls were all lined up on the floor."

-Time skip-

Another student sits across the table.

"Last month, some friends and I went into a storeroom in the sports complex for a courage test. Ever since then, we keep seeing shadows lurking around." She glances down to her lap. "One of the other girls said she even saw a ghost coming out of her desk."

That piques Naru's interest. "In class?"

She nods. "Yeah… She said she was temporarily paralyzed before feeling someone touch her stomach. When she looked down… she saw a white, dismembered hand."

I frown. 'Another dismembered hand? In both instances, a specific person is targeted… but not all the cases are like this...'

"She said it's happened several times… eventually it started hurting her to a point where she had to be hospitalized." She finishes, causing Naru to frown.

I knit my brows together in thought. 'Still not enough information to make a solid conclusion. I suppose I'll have to run this by Nari…'

-Time skip-

After the first onslaught of students, we finally have a moment's reprieve. Lin left the room earlier to set up some of the equipment in the suspected areas. Releasing a sigh, I glance over to Ayumu to see him glancing through several files on his laptop before looking up from the screen to answer Mai.

"Is it alright if I talked to you for a bit?" Mai asks hesitantly. Ayumu's smile softens before he gestures to a free chair.

"Not at all. What's on your mind?" He closes the laptop softly. Mai doesn't take a seat.

"Well, it's about Nari…" Mai looks down at her hands sadly. "…Any chance you could visit her, maybe just call her, or even a simple letter? Some form of contact?"

Ayumu looks at Mai curiously before shaking his head. "I'm afraid that's not possible."

"But why?" Mai raises her voice before catching herself and looking away sadly, possibly wondering if she had a right to even address this topic. "I mean… You know she cares about you right? I don't completely understand her, but I know she wants to hear from you… She was calling out your name so helplessly yesterday."

A sad smile enters Ayumu's face before he gazes down at the table. "I know… but it's for the best. She knows I'm still alive. That should be enough… even though I know it's not."

"You're not making any sense…" Mai shakes her head. This causes Ayumu to send her a gentle smile.

"I get that a lot. But, seeing as you've noticed the signs… I would say she's in good hands. I can tell you truly care for others Mai. It's an admirable quality, but I hope you take care of yourself as well."

I narrow my eyes. 'Your plan is already starting to show cracks…' Releasing a tired sigh, I pinch the bridge of my nose. 'This will complicate things.'

"I…" Mai trails off before looking away in embarrassment.

*click*

"Excuse me." A student with short brown hair enters the room with another student on a crutch trailing behind her. Her gaze travels across the room before stopping on Housho. "Norio!" Housho turns around at the name. "You came!"

Recognizing the girl, Housho smiles. "Oh hey. Let me introduce you." He places a hand on my shoulder. "This stern-looking guy is Saitou Kazama, but he prefers Kaz. Don't worry, he's actually really easy to talk to." He inclines his head toward the table. "That handsome devil dressed in all black over there is the director of Shibuya Psychic Research, Shibuya-san. The girl standing next to him is his assistant Taniyama Mai while Shibuya'san's look-alike with the purple eyes is Saitou Ayumu. He's an assistant to one of the other investigators who isn't here right now…"

She sends all of us a smile. "Nice to meet you all. I'm Takahashi Yuuko."

"Oh, same here." Mai finishes lamely before turning to Housho. "Uh… Norio?"

He sends Mai a proud grin. "That's the name I go by in the band. See, my real name is Housho, right? So-"

Naru cuts him off. "Getting back to the point," He glances up to the girl behind Yuuko. "I'm assuming you were one of the victims who sat at that desk before getting into a train accident?"

"Ahh, yes." She slightly lifts her right arm, showing us her cast. "I was the second one it happened to." She fiddles with the crutch in her free hand before looking up to the side. "The train arrived at my stop and I stepped out and started walking away like normal. Then it was like someone pulled me back and I got caught by the closing doors. Then the train started to move and I got dragged by it… I didn't get dragged very far, but my shoulder was dislocated and my legs were pretty scraped up." She sends a glance down at her legs. Following her gaze, I notice healing cuts and bandages.

I frown. 'In this instance… the victim isn't simply one person, rather the victims are generalized – having only the desk as their point of similarity. But in this case as well, it's like an otherworldly being was present to cause the damage. The two dismembered hands… now this…'

"Was there anyone standing near the door?" Naru asks.

She shakes her head. "Nope, no one. In fact, I remember the train was pretty much empty. Only a couple of people were there."

"Do you have any ideas on what may have caused the chain of events surrounding that particular desk?"

"I don't." She turns to Yuuko. "Do you?"

Yuuko shakes her head. "No."

Resting his elbows on the table, Naru clasps his hands in front of his face. "I'd like to take a look at that desk."

Yuuko offers us a smile. "I'll take you to it."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Classroom 2-5-

"It's the rightmost corner desk near the windows." Yuuko calls back to us as we file into the room. She suddenly pauses, catching our attention.

I narrow my eyes. "Is something wrong?"

She takes a step back. "Umm that person over there…she's not…"

Matching her gaze, we see Naomi glancing curiously at the desk as she runs her hand across its surface. Naomi's eyes knit together in thought before her hand falls limply at her side.

"Feel free to stare. I'm quite used to it." Naomi calls out to us before turning around to face us with a smile. When Yuuko sees Naomi's crimson eyes, she takes a step back. "Ah… gomen… it's just…"

Shaking her head, Noami sends Yuuko a kind smile. "It's quite alright. I know my appearance is rather unsettling to most." She turns to the rest of us. "Have you all come to check out the cursed desk as well?"

"Yeah." Mai pipes up and heads over to her with us trailing behind. "So this was where you went off on your own, Izayoi-san?"

Naomi nods. "Some of the students who were kind enough to allow me to approach them mentioned this desk so I decided to take a look and Mai, just call me Naomi. You're not much younger than me."

Mai blinks. "Umm… if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

"Old enough to be an adult." She answers cryptically, causing Mai to sweat drop.

Ignoring the two, Naru trails his hand on the desk's surface. "Does anyone sit here now?" Naru asks Yuuko, who shakes her head.

"No one wants to… the last girl who sat at that desk was hurt so badly… She's still in the hospital."

"And has the desk always been in this position?"

"Uh huh. Just like that."

I walk around the table, searching for any points of interest, only to find none. I sigh before shaking my head. "Outwardly, it appears to be a simple desk, but nothing is always what it appears to be, especially with this case. There has to be a pattern we're simply not seeing…"

"I agree. I don't quite like this desk… it's rather unsettling." Noami remarks, catching the other's attention before a soft smile enters her face. "But it's a rather interesting component to this case. Two desk incidents… one that only targets the people sitting at it whereas the other targets a single person." She muses aloud before turning her gaze to the window.

"That's a rather detailed for someone who hasn't heard all the accounts." Naru remarks suspiciously.

"Oh I heard some... I merely listened from outside until I grew bored and left." Naomi comments before looking away from the window. "That and I have been working on this case on the side… I know my appearance is rather unsettling… so I decided to stay out of sight for most of the time. Wouldn't want to scare off the students."

This causes Mai to frown. "You don't have to keep doing that… why don't you come back with us? I'm sure Ayumu would be happy to see you."

Naomi smiles sadly. "I'm sure he'd rather spend time with you more. It seems he's rather taken with you."

"E-eh? H-how can you tell?"

"Woman's intuition."

I frown.

-Time skip-

Despite Mai's offer, Naomi still refused to return to the base until after the other students had left. I suppose if I had known the base was flooded with girls, I would have joined her. All through the chaos, Lin continues to type on his laptop, seemingly ignoring everything around him. Meanwhile, Ayumu does the same on his laptop, but not before sending Naru, Mai, and I a look of relief once we entered the room.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**AFTERNOON**

**(First person perspective – Naomi)**

-Scene change: School hallway-

'They should be done with the interviews for now.' I thought as I glance out the window to see the orange and reds streaking across the sky.

'Everything's turned out negative… no textbook case spirits here… I guess I have to look at things from a different angle.' I thought as I make my way to the conference room. Sliding the door open, I'm met by the sight of Housho slumped atop the table.

"What the heck is going on at this school? I can't believe all the craziness happening here. Who's going exorcise it all? There's no way Kaz and I can do everything…" Housho sighs out. It's then that I notice the thick stack of notebooks resting next to his head.

Mai places a steaming cup of tea in front of Housho before offering an apologetic smile. "Gomen ne…I wish I could help, but this is out of my league. " She turns to face me. "Oh Naomi… I didn't see you there." She rubs the back of head sheepishly. "Find out anything?"

I shake my head. "Not exactly… the instances are rather scattered…" I frown.

"Something's not right." Naru and I add.

Frowning, I turn to Naru to see him glancing out the window in thought. "I agree with you. Things aren't making sense."

"Huh?" Housho and Mai send him a curious look.

"Individually, these cases are no big deal, of course that's assuming that they're all true, but with all these similarities there has to be something here causing it…"

"That's true." I place my hand on my chin. "As of right now, we have most of the pieces. We merely need to find the links that join them as well the main piece that's lying in wait." I release a sigh before glancing around the room to find Ayumu and Kaz missing. "Have any of you seen Ayumu or Kaz?"

Housho and Mai send each other a look before Housho turns to me. "I think they went off somewhere together… they should be back by now."

I face palm. "That may have been a grave mistake… those two have a rather platonic relationship at the moment. I wouldn't be surprised if Kaz were to use a little… ah force to express his displeasure."

"I don't think he would go that far…" Mai trails off uncertainly. "But then again… I don't really know Kaz all that well." She looks at me suspiciously. "You talk like you know the two pretty well and Kaz even calls you by your first name."

I smile. "I suppose you can say Kaz and I have a rather … close relationship. I'm sure you have more questions, but I better find those two before I'm one less an assistant."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**NIGHT**

-Scene change: Saitou Household-

**(First person perspective – Kaz)**

Releasing a tired sigh, I loosen my tie before locking the front door with a decisive click. Walking into the living room, I see two figures resting on the couch. Furrowing my brows in confusion, I approach the two to see Nari's head resting comfortably against Gene's shoulder while he looks on with a soft expression – all while stroking her hair in a soothing rhythm. Shifting slightly, Nari snuggles further against him before a content smile enters her face, causing Gene to release a small chuckle.

"You must be exhausted…" He murmurs. "You're really something else, Nari…"

I smile at the tone of his voice. "It appears you two had a rather busy day." I finally call out before releasing a chuckle at Gene's surprised expression. "She wasn't too much of a handful was she?" I take a seat on the couch opposite the two.

"Not at all." He smiles softly before a nervous expression enters his face. "But I think the chains were… excessive… You know she broke them right?"

I gaze at him in amusement. "Is that so? And the handcuffs?"

He rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Let's just say they're not really handcuffs anymore…"

I quirk a brow. "Huh… I must have angered her… she usually leaves some remains. I'm rather surprised she had enough strength to cause that much damage in her current condition." My eyes narrow. "You didn't help her escape, did you?"

Gene lets out a nervous laugh. "I may have helped her… but she mostly destroyed them herself. She's pretty intimidating when she wants to be… but it's pretty fun to watch."

I shake my head. "You're rather strange to think that… but I'm glad you were able to take care of her." My expression darkens. "You know you're taking a rather large risk right? Why are you going so far? Is it because you feel indebted to her? "

Knowing I was talking about something else entirely, Gene shakes his head. "It's not really that." He gazes down at Nari softly before brushing away the stray bangs framing her face. "I know I'm taking a big risk… but it's not because I feel like I owe her." He lets out a small chuckle. "I guess you can say I just really care for her… she's so distant yet she tries so hard for others… she's really similar to Naru in that way. Maybe that's why I feel like I need to watch over her. She's so much like my idiot scientist of a brother."

I gaze at him evenly. 'So you don't realize it either… for someone of his intellect, he's not very observant… but I suppose the same can be said for Nari.'

"I see." I let out an amused chuckle. "All I can say is be careful. I trust you to take care of her in my stead." I gaze at Nari sadly. "Even if I know her intentions, I can't say I know everything she's thinking, despite her beliefs in me bring a mind reader. She's playing a rather risky game right now. So are you, but I'll do my best to fulfill my role while you two fulfill yours." With that I leave the room but not before turning back once again to see Gene tenderly embracing Nari.

Frowning, I make my way to my room, noticing in slight amusement the shattered remains of the chains resting in a pile next to my door. Atop the chains rests a simple note.

_You suck. _

_-Nari_

Releasing a chuckle, I flick on the lights before pausing in my steps to glance at the picture resting on the bedside table. Slowly, I pick up the frame, gazing intently at the smiling faces of Ayumu, Nari, and I.

'That was years ago… Nari, you haven't smiled like this until Gene appeared…' A heaviness settles into my chest before I lower the picture back to its original position. 'It was always Ayumu and Gene… You never send me that true smile of yours… not since then.'

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

**TUESDAY **

**(First person perspective – Kazama)**

"We don't have the time to investigate each case given the sheer number of them. I think we will have to exorcise them based on the ones we manage to catch sight of. If that doesn't work, we'll come back and try something else." Naru explains.

John, Masako, and Ayako had arrived earlier this morning, but there's still no sign of Ayumu or Naomi.

"Hara-san, I'd like you to take a look around the school. Start with the desk and then head over to the track team's locker room."

Masako lifts her kimono sleeve to her mouth before releasing a giggle. "Oh please, I'd be more comfortable if you called me Masako."

I quirk a brow. 'That's a rather bold attempt. I wonder what brought this on?'

Ignoring Masako's remark, Naru continues. "Matsusaki-san, I want you to go as well and exorcise anything you see fit."

Ayako places a hand on her chin. "Hold on. You're not going to say something nasty in response to Masako's invitation?" She holds out her index finger before glancing up. "I recall you doing that to me in the first case…" Her brows furrow in thought. "And lately you've been rather courteous to our celebrity friend. Any reason for that?"

I chuckle before sending Ayako an amused glance. "Do I sense a hint of jealousy? Green does not suit you, but I'm not quite sure what does, maybe pink? After all, it continually creeps on your face."

She sputters in response before sending me a glare whereas Housho attempts to stifle his laughter before patting me on the back. "It's great to have you with us, man."

"Why you-"

Naru smirks. "If you have time to waste on useless words, I'd rather see you in action. Wouldn't you much rather impress us than waste everyone else's time?"

She gawks in response before looking away in embarrassment.

'She does have a point though…' I turn to Naru. 'I wonder what information Masako has over you? If it's the one I have in mind, then I'm not entirely surprised.'

"Because of the number of cases, I don't have enough equipment to send with you so you'll have to rely on your instincts." Naru continues, "Takigawa, John, the same goes for you two as well."

"You got it." Housho answers with a smile.

John sends him a wave. "No worries."

"I will continue the investigation with Lin and Kaz. Mai, wait here for the others to report back… especially Ayumu and Naomi."

Mai blinks in surprise but nods. "Sure."

"Alright… let's begin." With that, the others begin to leave, but not before Ayako asks Housho about Ayumu and Naomi. John and Masako listen in interest as well before the door slides shut.

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Sports complex storage room-

Naru glances down at the thermometer before frowning. "The temperature here isn't much different from the temperature outdoors."

I cross my arms. "The other places we've investigated produced the same results. It doesn't seem a site-bound spirit is the cause of the phenomenon occurring at this school. "

Naru nods. "There aren't any signs pointing to it, but there are still other areas to check." He puts away the thermometer before glancing around the room.

"It seems Nari reached the same conclusion." He stills.

"I see…" He turns to face me. "Did she mention anything else?"

"She said revenge appears to be a key role in this, but she's unsure as to how." I frown, "But at the same time, she said it's not an obvious revenge, rather a hidden one we need to look into."

"Revenge huh?" Naru places a hand on his chin. "It's a rather vague concept, but it might give us another angle to approach with."

"Is this another hunch of hers?"

I turn to Lin before nodding. "Yes… as far as I know, her hunches have never been wrong. Even so… there are times where I wish they would be. Revenge is a rather ugly thing to deal with."

Lin nods in understanding.

"Be that as it may, it's something we have to consider." Naru adds gravely.

I nod before catching Naru's attention once again. "Also… she wanted to tell you to be careful. For some reason, she's rather worried for you." I smirk. "I believe her words were… "Tell that walking piece of egotistical arrogance to be careful. He'll probably do something stupid to save his pride like stare at a ghost all night." Quite a strange message if I say so myself."

Naru shakes his head in disbelief before a smirk enters her face. "That sounds like her…"

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

When Naru, Lin, and I return to the base, Mai mentions a psychic craze that swept the school several months back. That was how we found ourselves interviewing Yuuko once again.

"Did you say Kasai panic?" Naru asks.

"That's right. There's a third year student by the name of Kasai Chiaki who bent a spoon with her psychic abilities." Yuuko explains. "It was something that happened shortly after summer break was over. She became a school icon overnight. As a result of that incident, bending spoons became popular and at one point, the school was split between believers and non-believers. It was a pretty big affair. The fuss was so great that Kasai-san was called up on stage and interrogated in front of the whole school to bend a key."

Mai leans forward in her seat, eyes wide. "She bent it?"

Yuuko nods. "It was worse after that. A group of teachers rallied against her, calling her a fake. The teachers made Kasai-san so angry that she said she would curse them all to death. After that, many strange things started happening."

"Eh?"

"Even now, everyone says that all these things happened as a result of Kasai-san's curse." She looks down at her hands. "I think that's why she's been absent from class these days and keeps herself locked up in the Biology prep room."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Time skip-

-Scene change: Outside the Biology prep room-

Naru steps forward and raps his knuckles against the wood.

*knock*knock*

"Hai?"

He opens the door.

"I'm sorry to intrude, but is Kasai-san here?"

A girl looks up in admittance before glancing down at the spoon in her hands. The entire handle had formed a loosened coil – giving it the shape akin to a Christmas tree – allowing the spoon turned tree to rest easily in her hands. "Another one…" She sighs out before turning away from us. A woman with short wavy, brown hair glances up in surprise.

"What might this be about?"

"I'm Shibuya from Shibuya Psychic Research. I have some questions for Kasai-san."

Getting up from her seat, she approaches us. "I'm sorry, could you tell me your name again?"

"My name is Shibuya Kazuya."

"Ah, so you're the other investigator. Please come in." She motions us in. "I was quite surprised when I was told the principal hired another team, seeing as I hired one myself."

I glance at her curiously. "You were the one who hired Naomi?"

She nods. "Yes… I thought it would help settle the claims made against Kasai. The allegations have been escalating and I thought hiring a professional would sort everything out. I don't believe Kasai's responsible for the odd occurrences here and hoped Izayoi-san would confirm it. I just hope she too will come to believe in Kazai's innocence, but as of now, it's uncertain." She finishes sadly before glancing up. Noticing the thoughtful looks sent her way, she adds, "If you're looking for Izayoi-san, you three just missed her… " She trails off. "Ah, forgive me. I haven't introduced myself. My name is Ubusuna Kei. I'm a biology teacher here."

"I see…" Naru knits together his brows in thought before releasing a sigh and glancing over to Ubusuna-sensei. "Ubusuna? That's not a common name."

She merely smiles in response. "I suppose you'd like to question Kasai-san about the incident last September as well?"

"Leave me alone! I have nothing to say." She turns her head to the side, further hiding her face from us. "Just talk to Izayoi-san. At least she believed me!"

Ubusuna-sensei calmly walks over to Kasai. "Kasai, I know you've just talked to Izayoi-san, but I think it would be wise to talk to these people as well to clear up any confusion."

"Why should I? So they can call me a liar too, just like the rest of the school?"

Ubusuna-sensei places a hand on Kasai's shoulder. "But they investigate psychic phenomena all the time, just like Izayoi-san. They're not going to reject or laugh at the things you say. She didn't, did she?"

Kasai looks down at the deformed spoon in her hands before shaking her head. Releasing a sigh, she turns to face us with a cautious look. "What do you want to know?"

Mai's eyes widen in surprise at the change in behavior.

Naru steps forward. "I've heard some very interesting stories about you… Stories that connect you to the events occurring at the school. Ones saying you have powers… the kind of powers that bend spoons and keys at will."

"They aren't just stories… they're the truth. I can bend them, but I don't expect you to believe me." She mutters out with her eyes closed.

"Why wouldn't I? You're not the only one who can bend a spoon you know…"

'So you're going to come out with it… that's rather surprising…'

"Eh?" Mai looks at Naru in shock.

"You… can?" Kasai mutters out in surprise.

"I can. But even if I couldn't, any psychic researcher would believe in P.K." Naru explains.

A lost expression enters Kasai's face before she grabs a spoon and holds it out to Naru with a smug smile. "Show me."

Mai looks on curiously with her hand to her chin.

"I guess I have no choice." Naru releases a sigh before taking the spoon in his hand. Holding it eye level, he holds out one finger before pushing down on the tip, making the spoon bend downward from the neck before breaking away and clattering to the ground.

Mai's face morphs into surprise before worry as she stares down at the broken spoon whereas Kasai steps forward in awe.

"I'll talk to you…" She finally mutters before heading back to the table and taking a seat. Naru and Mai follow suit and take a seat whereas I continue to stand.

"You sure you don't want to sit down Kaz?" I glance down at Mai with a smile.

"It would be rather rude of me to take the seat of a lady, but I appreciate your concern."

Mai's eyes widen in surprise before she quickly looks away. "Oh um… ok."

Turning our attention back to Kasai, we see her placing the deformed tree-shaped spoon on the table before releasing another sigh and turning to us.

"Over summer vacation, I was watching one of those late night TV shows and I came across one about spoon bending. I tried to mimic their actions and eventually I learned to do it too…. Although, I can't break it like you can… or bend it to the extent Izayoi-san did." She looks at the tree-shaped spoon longingly.

'So she really did use that… I suppose I'm not entirely surprised…'

"Eh? Naomi did that?" Mai looks at the spoon in shock.

Naru looks at the spoon carefully before turning back to Kasai. "That was in the summer… Are you still able to do it?"

She sends Naru a glare. "Of course!" Her eyes flick over to the cup on the table before taking out a spoon. Holding her thumb and index finger around the neck of the utensil, Kasai furrows her brows in concentration before slowly bending down. She soon hunches over her lap, causing my eyes to narrow.

"You can't do it that way."

Kasai looks up at Naru in surprise.

"You were thinking of pressing that spoon against the edge of your chair to make it bend, weren't you? You do realize that if anyone caught you doing that trick, they'd never believe you again."

"You're wrong! I really can bend a spoon!" Her grip on the spoon tightens until her knuckles turn white from the strain.

"Any psychic researcher knows that psychic abilities can be affected by outside sources and therefore unstable. It's alright to admit you can't do it when you're unable to. The people who called you a fake never believed you anyway, so don't worry about what they think."

"That's easy for you to say…" She clenches her hands on her knees. "You don't have to deal with how mean people can be if you can't do it. Ubusuna-sensei was treated horribly by the other teachers just because she had to nerve to defend me."

Ubusuna-sensei places her hands on Kasai's shoulders. "You don't have to worry about me." She glances up at us. "It's been incredibly difficult to watch. I feel horrible for how they act toward her… I just had to help her."

Kasai's shoulders begin to tremble. "And everyone in the biology club quit because they thought we were doing something crazy or evil… Why did it turn out this way?"

Naru gazes evenly at her. "That's why you cursed them?"

She looks up in shock. "No way! Even if I had said that, I wouldn't seriously consider cursing them to death." She looks over at Ubusuna-sensei who smiles at her kindly. "Right?"

"Hmm… I see…" I get up from my seat, earning Naru's and Mai's attention. "I'll go look for Naomi. It appears she might know something more about what's going on at this school."

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

-Scene change: Hallway-

**(First person perspective – Naomi)**

I place a hand on my face before leaning my back against the wall, enjoying the temporary reprieve. 'Everything's almost set up… I didn't think it would take this much time.' I furrow my brows in thought. 'Still, it's a rather useless and wasteful course of action. I already know there's no independent spirit, but it's better to keep appearances.'

Pushing myself off the wall, I continue to make my way to the conference room. 'With what we've seen so far, the cause of all this appears to originate from a human source. No, that's not right either…' I narrow my eyes. 'Rather, someone is purposely setting these events into motion. There are several possibilities fitting this criteria… I'll just have to look into this more to determine what it is.'

"Naomi, may I have a word?" At the sound of the voice, I turn around to see Kaz glancing at me in suspicion.

He doesn't wait for an answer and blocks my path with his outstretched arm.

"Do you mind?" I reply evenly. A smug smile appears on his face before he closes the distance between us.

"No, I quite enjoy being this close to you, Naomi." Kaz answers evenly before moving his face closer.

My eye twitches in annoyance. "I find this lack of space hardly appropriate."

"I believe you're right." Kaz slams his hand on the other side of my head before pushing me against the wall. "This is much better." He whispers before leaning close to my ear. "What are _you_ and _Ayumu_ really doing here?" He mutters harshly, trying his best to contain his voice. I glance over at the halls, silently thanking whoever's up there for its lack of occupants.

"You do know I hate this formality, don't you? But I'll play along." I switch my gaze over to him. "And what, pray tell, do you think _you're_ doing?"

He releases a chuckle before lifting his face up slightly to gaze down at mine. "Oh? Have I upset you?"

I smirk. "Quite the contrary. You amuse me. After all, you're merely validating my opinion of you." He sends me a questioning look. "You really are a pervert, aren't you?"

His eyes widen in surprise before returning to its normal amused expression. "I can't say I'm not surprised you think that; however, I would appreciate it if you would answer me honestly, _Naomi_."

I let out an amused chuckle. "To solve this case of course. It's an obligation, maybe something more."

At his lack of response, I continue, "I don't expect you to understand my motives; I just require your trust."

His expression darkens. "You understand how difficult that request is… don't you? What if I want to be there?" His voice saddens. "I won't… allow that incident to repeat…"

I send him a soft gaze before stroking the side of his face. 'That incident was my fault and my fault alone. You had nothing to do with it. I can't believe you still hang onto your regret, Kaz.'

*sigh* "Your protectiveness toward me can become suffocating at times, though I can understand the reason why."

He smirks half-heartedly before taking my hand in his and intertwining our fingers. Closing the distance once again, he rests his lips right next to my ear.

"Of course Naomi." He whispers softly, making sure his breath caresses the skin. "After all, who would I have if not you?"

I let out a small chuckle. "If I was not in this position, you would be across the hall nursing you _sore male pride_." I finish, making sure to emphasize the last three words.

He slightly stiffens before releasing a chuckle. "Even like this, you still manage to let your true personality shine through." He pulls away slightly, though still keeping our hands intertwined.

I shake my head in amusement. "I wouldn't be me if I didn't, no?"

"Of course, hime. Now, I believe _Ayumu_ is waiting for you."

I shake off his hand. "That nickname of yours… I don't see how that correlates to me."

His face softens. "Maybe you'll see it in due time."

I scoff. "Afraid not. It seems you always give that nickname to a girl you care for. But I don't need to rely on a knight to save me."

I shove him aside and walk away, only to make it a few steps before halting at his next words.

"I know that, but there will be times where you need one."

My gaze lowers to the ground before I clench my hands. 'Even if that's true, I can't afford to bring others into this precarious situation, especially …' I shake my head before turning to face Kaz with a smirk.

"Eh? Are you offering?"

Step.

'You know the risks involved…'

Step.

'You know my plans…'

Step.

'You know your role, your obligation as well as my own.'

Step.

'So don't interfere. Not this time… '

Step.

'So just trust me... and…'

I yank him down by his tie, pulling his head down forcibly so that my lips rest atop his ear. "Don't push your luck." The sound of footsteps fills the hall, causing my eyes to narrow in annoyance. Shifting my eyes to the source of the incoming footsteps, I see Mai and Naru walking to us. When Mai takes in the situation, a blush dominates her face. Sputtering, she takes a step back in surprise before shifting her gaze between Kaz and me.

"K-kaz? N-naomi?" Mai stutters out as her blush deepens. "W-what are you two doing?"

"It seems we've been found out." Kaz mutters in amusement. "Such a precarious situation, wouldn't you say?"

I smirk. "Not exactly." Loosening my hold on his tie, I run a hand through his smooth locks before pulling out a 500 yen piece.

"So that's where I dropped it." I remark with a smile before facing Mai. "It appears I merely lost my coin in Kaz's hair. Silly me." I flick the coin between my fingers before bringing it back between my thumb and index finger.

"Oh…" Mai rubs the back of her head sheepishly before shaking away the blush from her face. "So that's what you were doing… I thought…." She trails off, noticing the curious look I sent her way. "Uh… nevermind." A small blush appears on her face before she waves her hands before her. "It's nothing… so umm Naomi, where have you been? I haven't seen you… or Ayumu all day. Where is he anyway?" She glances around, probably in hopes of finding him.

I smile in amusement. "I've been rather busy investigating the different buildings in the school as well as meeting with my employer and her ward. Those two are a rather curious pair, but they have brought up some rather interesting points I needed to look into." I glance to Naru, noticing the suspicion lacing his face. "As for Ayumu… he's probably in the spare classroom setting up our equipment. With the abnormal amount of odd occurrences on this case and the lack of equipment to meet such a demand, I brought in some of my own as per Naru's suggestion. It's a time-consuming process, considering we have to make sure the cameras and microphones are routed correctly as well as avoiding the rooms that already possess monitoring equipment. That's probably why you haven't seen me until now."

Naru steps forward. "I'm glad to see you two were able to complete to task." Naru compliments, earning a surprised look from Mai.

"Wait, you knew where those two were this whole time?" She turns to Naru. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He sends her a lazy glance. "I don't recall ever needing to report to you on every aspect of the case."

I shake my head at the two, finding their bickering very akin to that of an old married couple. 'I should return to the base for now… it seems those two might be having a moment.'

* * *

**AN: I know this isn't the end of the episode, but I felt like stopping here for now. Forgive me. :x I'll add the remaining portion to the next chapter. Anyway that's the first part of this case; I hope you like it and if you have any questions, comments, or have any ideas on what I mentioned in my announcement at the beginning of the chapter, feel free to leave a review or PM. If you would like to see more scenes with certain characters, let me know and I'll see what I can do. Thanks again for reading. (^.^) Until next time. **

**Ja ne~ **

G l **H** l O l **S** l T **ll** H l **U** l N l **T**

Review Responses:

_MusicofMadness: Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like Nari' character. She helps add the humor to the story. :D_

_bored411: Hi again. :D I'm glad you liked how the chapter turned out, especially the scene with her gun. ;D I checked out your ghost hunt story and it's really good. I just realized I've actually read some of your other stories. Man, I really should pay more attention to the author's name for the stories I read. XD Anyway, as for what I have planned with Nari's tattoo, it's still in development, but I have a pretty good idea with what I want to do with it. I hope you liked this chapter as well._

_Twilight Dark Angel: Haha thanks for the review. :D I'm really glad you liked the last chapter and hope this update didn't disappoint. As for the cosplay, feel free to use my characters. I'm flattered that you would want to. :D_

_Guest: Hi there. I'm glad you like the story so far and you do have a point. Mai will get a larger role as the story progresses, but as of now, I'm following the growth pattern portrayed in the anime. Mai's fairly new with the paranormal so she's going to have to get exposed to it more before she takes on a more concentrated role as seen in the series. Thanks for pointing that out to me. :D_

_Jem Juliette Jewels Jade: Hi again. :D Wish granted. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. _

_TwilightMelodiac: Thanks for the review and I'm glad you enjoy the story so far. _

_14AmyChan: Hi. (^.^) I didn't expect you to review all the chapters, but it was a really nice surprise to see. Yeah… maybe I didn't really make it clear that Nari was a girl until later on in the first chapter, so it was an honest mistake. xD Your comment did give me an idea to put one of my guy oc's in a shirt or maybe someone else… but I gave up that idea for now. I'm glad you like how the story is going and the NarixGene pairing. Those two are going to have a lot of ups and downs in the story, so stay tuned for that. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter as well._


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